Lost Soul
by MoonRose91
Summary: Dr. Gilmore is trying to find an old friend of his, Dr. Kirshner. He finds that he is dead and survived by his granddaughter, who has no idea what the Doctor left behind. The race for his research has started between the Cyborgs and Black Ghost.
1. Chapter 1

Cyborg 009 – Lost Soul: Chapter One

Summary: Dr. Gilmore is trying to find an old friend of his, Dr. Kirshner, only find he is dead and survived by his granddaughter who has no idea what the Doctor left behind. The race for his secret research has started between the Cyborgs and Black Ghost. Only time will tell who will win.

Warnings: I only have access to the first few episodes to reference, none of the manga, and I'm going to cheat to just commenting if they say something in another language and someone translates it. This is mostly because my German and French sucks and I don't wish to anger any of the French and German speaking populace. Yes, I speak very basic French and German and no, it isn't because of this anime. When I become fluent in both, then I'll write what they are saying in that language.

There is also violence.

**Chapter One**

The house was a simple one, nestled about a mile out of the town. An older gentleman sat in his chair by the fireplace, the mantle decorated by pictures of him and a young woman. He settled more into the chair and let out a content sigh.

The sound of breaking glass and the sound of a silencer broke the peaceful scene. He jerked a little as blood began to spill from his injury. The stain grew slowly as two men in black suits entered.

There was no talking as they began to search through the house. They focused on their task. The pair took no notice of the old man's last act of life. He wrote something in German on the arm of his chair. It smeared as he slumped over.

As the two men shifted through, one took all the letters he found on the kitchen counter. They were forced to leave, however, when the distant sound of a motorcycle reached them. The obvious leader shook his head, and they took their exit through the back.

In the shadows, they went unnoticed by the young woman riding it. Parking next to the front door, she got off and walked up. She pulled off her helmet, strands of her hair still clinging to it. Reaching into a pocket of her motorcycle jacket, she pulled out a key.

Walking in, she kicked the door shut behind her. As she hung up her helmet next to the door, she smiled cheerfully. "Hallo, Grandfather!"

Confusion passed over her face as she turned. She only saw disoriented shadows and sighed. Pulling her tan messenger bag over her head, she carefully hung it up next to her helmet. She walked forward with heavy steps from her steel-toed boots. She moved past the fireplace to the odd placement of their light switch.

"Grandfather, did you fall asleep?"

Turning the lights on, she let out a scream when she saw him. Pushing against the wall, she stared in shock at his body. She shivered and began to cry, slumping down to the ground.

It would be awhile before she managed to call the police. Once they came she was sitting on the porch, the door open behind her. She looked up and one of them gently rested his hand on her shoulder. "My condolences Miss Kirshner."

She nodded her thanks and he led her off to be questioned. She sat out of the way as they went through her house, all wondering how the good doctor had been shot. When her questioner realized she did not know if nothing was missing, he waited for the body to be removed before he escorted her in.

They started with the top floors, though things were a little out of place, they were not missing. Her music box was untouched and she smiled with relief. It was valuable in the fact it had been hand-made from before World War II. Its sentimental value was far higher in her heart then any euros.

As they entered the living room, her lips trembled as she looked at his favorite armchair. He didn't question it when she turned into his side to cry again. He patted her head awkwardly, allowing her to cry once more.

"Maybe this wasn't the best idea now."

"No…I'm fine."

The lie was obvious though he let it go. It would do no one any good to stress her farther. He gently pushed her along, out of the room. As they passed into the kitchen, her eyes fell on the empty kitchen counter. "Now, that's strange…"

She strode forward and let her hand rest where she had placed the mail that morning. "The mail is missing. Grandfather said he would look at it later."

The officer nodded a bit. Looking around, he placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. "Miss Kirshner, are you sure you'll be all right?"

She turned to him and nodded. "Yes, eventually. In the meantime, I'll call a friend from work."

"Pack what you need Miss Kirshner. I'll have one of my men escort you to where you will be spending the night. We'll contact you when you can return home."

The girl nodded her thanks and picked up the phone. Being careful, she rotary dialed the number. "Hallo, Grace Thompson here!"

The voice on the other end was very high-end British with a slight German influence to it. "Hallo Grace. It's Alice. Can I spend the night there?"

"Naturally. What's wrong?"

"I'll explain when I get there."

"Don't take too long."

"I won't."

Exchanging good-byes, Alice hung up. Turning, she was allowed to pack her small suitcase with things from her room alone. Once she had packed the suitcase, she paused from going back down when she saw the music box.

Gently taking it in her hands, she sat on her bed. She traced the cravings. Roses and edelweiss intertwined together to create a frame around twin swans in flight. She stared at it, smiling a little. She was about to open it when her escort came up.

"Miss Kirshner, its time to go."

"Of course. Thank you."

The younger man smiled and tipped his head in respect. He took her suitcase for her and she stopped by the doorway, getting her helmet along with the tan messenger bag. She tucked the music box into her bag, carefully, and exited.

It was a long walk, but she couldn't abandon her motorbike.

**End Chapter One**


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter Two**

The hotel, with restaurant inside, was one of the nicest places to eat out. It wasn't overly expensive, just classy. What set the restaurant apart from the rest were the name tags, which also held the nationality of each employee.

To Alice's eternal annoyance, she was a waitress. The things on her that weren't black were the white dress shirt under the vest and the gold name tag. Under her name, printed in smaller letters, was "_DEUTSCHLAND_."

"Are you sure you're ready to come back to work, Alice?"

Grace's concerned voice made Alice smile. Sitting up a little from where she was adjusting her one inch heels, she nodded. "I have to start sometime. The house was reopened for me. They got what little they could."

The Brit snorted and adjusted Alice's black tie for her before standing up. "You're the only female the tie doesn't look stupid on. That's not right, Alice."

"Thanks for pointing out my flat chest, Grace. I don't know how I could have gone through the day without it being pointed out to me."

While that dry tone normally warned of a fight between the pair, the rush of laughter indicated there was no such thing today. They laughed so hard, they almost fell to the floor.

"Five minutes, girls."

The maid's careful warning had them brushing off their faces, Alice still trying to muffle her laughter. Alice stood up, and Grace smiled in her concerned way.

Grace placed a kiss on Alice's cheek. Alice gave her a reassuring smile. "You'll be okay?"

That, apparently, had not convinced Grace. Alice briefly closed her eyes in thought. "Eventually."

It was all Alice could offer at the moment. She wasn't sure how long 'eventually' would be this time. It wasn't like her first motorcycle accident. She had bounced back rather easily. This time, it would not be so.

Grace had beaten Alice to the assignment board. When Alice got there, Grace looked like she was trying to hide the board. Alice gave an irritable sigh. "Anything if you switch with me." The pleading was in English.

Alice gave a weary groan. Grace suddenly got a smile. That certain smile made Alice very nervous.

Grace leaned in. "I'll edit out your kiss from this past Christmas party DVD."

Alice flushed in embarrassment. "You didn't have to say that! I was going to say yes!" Her voice came out in a high-pitched squeak.

Grace grinned and hugged her. With that, Grace exited while Alice read the board. She let out a defeated groan when she saw it was the east room. The east room had a large window that let in a ton of sunlight and a lot of cold. "Wonderful. What did I get saddled with?"

Entering the east room, Alice wanted to go hunt Grace out and drag her back. The table had a total of five people. The first two that caught her eye were about the same age. One had fiery, red hair that spiked about oddly, while the other had brown hair that fell over one eye. To the redhead's right, was a bald man. To the bald man's right, was an elderly gentleman. The last one was middle-aged. Out of the entire company, he was the one Alice found the most interesting.

His relaxed posture was proper. Shoulders back, no slouching. However, his face seemed grim to her. It was also familiar to her. She shook her head hard enough to hurt her neck before greeting them with a fake smile. "Hallo. How may I help you this morning?"

The group looked up, and she noted they had been handed the German menus. Actually, studying them, her smile became amused. They seemed confused to her, except for the middle-aged man. He seemed like someone who had no trouble with the menu.

Alice looked at him. "Can I get any of you something to drink?"

The redhead was grousing about something, all the while glaring at the middle-aged man. She looked between them all and the middle-aged man shook his head. She faced him and waited for her usual treatment.

"Yes, thank you. My brown haired friend would like a coffee, only half-filled, with a cream on the side. The redhead would like a cola. The gentleman would like the English breakfast tea with a side of cream, and two black coffees for the pair of us."

Alice smiled warmly at him. "Very well, sir. Are you ready to order?"

The middle-aged man shook his head. He seemed to have an amused smile on his face. "No, my friends are having some difficulty."

"I'll return shortly with your drinks. Coffee and cream mix, cola, English breakfast tea with side of milk, and two black coffees. Do you want the cream on the side or pre-mixed?"

The brown haired man smiled and answered, but Alice didn't understand. Her forehead knotted in confusion. She recognized it. "I'm sorry, sir, I didn't understand."

He looked confused and the middle-aged man intervened politely. "He asked for the cream to be on the side."

"Thanks. I'll be right back."

Despite the little slip-up with the language barrier, she felt rather at ease with them. They treated her like a person, not a servant. While unusual, she would prefer it to be the usual thing. With a shake of her head to clear her thoughts, she slipped into the back.

Alice passed Grace and captured her wrist. With a not so gentle tug, Grace followed sheepishly. "Oh, come now, love. You know that I don't handle foreigners well!"

"Grace, you are a foreigner!"

"See! That proves everything."

"Don't make me hurt you, Grace."

Getting the tray, she balanced it on her arm. With rehearsed ease, she placed the drinks on it. Moving carefully, she backed out and headed towards the table. As she came closer, she was able to hear a conversation.

"You know, if there weren't all these extra letters, I could read it just fine!" the red head exclaimed.

"What extra letters?" the middle aged man responded in what seemed to be an amused tone.

"Shut up! You know what I mean!"

"Would you rather I order you a BLT?"

"Don't be disgusting! It's pizza! And there is no good pizza outside of New York."

"Well, pizza is an uncultured food. Now a good fish and chips, that's a worthwhile meal," The bald man intervened. His cultured accent told her he was from a "proper" area of England.

The middle-aged man laughed, and the brown haired teenager said something. She really wished she understood him. She knew what it felt like to have people stare blankly at you. It was even worse when they didn't acknowledge they had no understanding. Of course, that could turn in her favor.

"All right. I have the English breakfast tea, with side of milk, two black coffees, half coffee and side of cream, and a cola. Is everyone ready to order?"

"Well, I am. I'll have a roll with blackberry jam and a hard boiled egg. You might have to give them suggestions."

Alice smiled, shifting the tray under her arm. She pulled out her notebook, writing the middle-aged man's order. She wasn't looking at the page as she faced the party fully. "Our restaurant caters to all nationalities. We have traditional breakfasts from around the world. The easiest to suggest for your British friend, would be the full English breakfast. Then we have oatmeal, grits, and cereal, whatever suits your American friend's fancy. Or even your British friend, but he was nodding rather happily to the full breakfast. We serve almost anything and everything."

The middle-aged man seemed to be the cat that ate the canary. The red head snapped, "I can't believe it. You had us worrying and this entire time you _knew_ we could have anything we wanted!"

The redhead looked livid, and Alice became confused again. She had no concrete idea of why he was irritated. She just had a suspicion that steel-eyes had been playing a harmless joke. "You could have asked for an English menu, Jet."

The redhead, or Jet, groused even more at the middle aged man's words. Alice looked between them and said, "I could go get you a menu, sir."

"No. I'll have oatmeal with honey mixed in." 

"You need all the sweetness you can stand."

Jet gave a look to steel-eyes. Alice, however, felt it was like one of Grace's own looks to her. The look of annoyance, promised revenge, and a reluctance to agree. She faced the elderly gentleman, and got his order. The British man did not fail her prediction, and she looked at the last one. "He would like oatmeal with cinnamon."

Nodding, she smiled at them. "I'll have your food out as soon as possible."

They thanked her, and she collected their menus. Dropping them off at the podium, she crossed back to the kitchen. Putting the order up, she paused to stare out at the half-empty restaurant. "Thank you, Alice."

She rolled her eyes at Grace. Checking over the door, she collected the coffee pot and went back out. Standing nearby, the German speaker gently pushed his empty cup to where she had easier access to it.

A thankful smile crossed her face as she refilled it. "Could you be a dear and bring some more tea?"

"Of course, sir. Can I get you anything while your meal is being prepared?"

"Ah, yes. Do you know where Dr. Rupert Kirshner lives?"

Alice felt the world fall around her. Her face paled in surprise, and she felt the pot nearly slip from her fingers. "Dr. Kirshner? I'm afraid you can only find him at the Friedhof." Her voice faltered a little.

"The cemetery? What happened?"

The bearded man seemed shocked. Alice had half-stopped processing. She backed away a little, and the pot slipped from her hands, breaking on the ground. "Miss?"

"I'll clean that up." Her voice shook with pent up grief.

She left quickly, not seeing anyone. She felt like she was walking with blinders on. She breezed past Grace without seeing her.

"Alice? Alice!"

Grace's voice didn't fully register. Alice kept going, wrapping her arms around herself. She had no clue where she was going; she ended up in the break room.

There, Alice huddled into the farthest corner, shoulders shaking. "Alice, what's wrong?" Grace gently questioned.

Alice sobbed into her own arms. "Oh, Alice."

She felt Grace's arms encircle her. Turning, she buried her head in Grace's shoulder. No words were spoken as Grace ran her fingers through Alice's hair. It calmed her and she sniffled. "I broke the coffee pot."

"The boss won't be mad for that. What do you say to telling me what happened while I get you cleaned up? Okay?"

"Okay."

Alice felt herself be pulled up through her daze. It felt like she was being supported to the staff washroom. She noted that something rough, yet warm, was washing her face off.

"What set you off?"

Grace's voice pierced her fog, and Alice blinked in surprise. "They knew my grandfather."

The rough thing stopped moving. "What?"

"They knew my grandfather. They wanted to know where he lived."

"But you said he never left Germany. How could they know him?"

Alice struggled to lock her grief away. This wasn't the time or place. Of course, nothing had been the time or place. She wrinkled her nose as Grace continued to wash her face. "Stop treating me like a child."

"Glad to see you seem better. How could they know him?"

Alice shrugged, confusion mounting. Rubbing her temples, she shook her head. "I know that look. Something is bugging you."

"A guy, the middle-aged one with the steel eyes, looks familiar."

"Alice, that's impossible. Unless you met him before you moved here."

Alice sighed in frustration. Getting off the counter, she hugged Grace. The embrace was returned tightly. Alice felt like Grace was trying to keep her there, safe. "Thanks Grace."

"Don't worry about it, love."

Alice let Grace go, but Grace didn't. "Where're you going to go during lunch?"

Alice enjoyed the warmth she found there. "I thought I would go visit Grandfather."

"Is that wise?"

"Grace, when have I ever been wise?"

"True, love, true. Sure you can drive?"

"When don't I?"

Grace let out a sigh and slowly released Alice. She reluctantly stepped out of the embrace. Looking away from Grace, she looked around. "How do I look?"

"Beautiful as always, Alice."

Alice felt her face flush. With a tired sigh, she looked reluctantly at the door. Exiting, she entered the kitchen. "Hey, Alice."

She turned, surprised to see one of the bus boys. "I got the pot for you."

"Meals up!"

"Thanks!" Alice called to both the chef and bus boy.

Alice got a tray and loaded it up with the full breakfasts. Going for another tray, she stopped when she saw Grace holding them, along with more tea. "I got it."

Alice was nervous. Grace rarely "abandoned" her customers. "Okay."

They carefully walked out, and Alice smiled. "Sorry for the wait."

She carefully directed Grace to deliver the British breakfast. "Why did you want to know about Dr. Kirshner?"

Alice winced at Grace's blunt tone. Giving a stressed sigh, she carefully settled the last plate in front of the steel-eyed one. "Grace, not now."

"Yes, now! They had no right! They could've asked anyone else, but no! They had to ask you! I think you deserve to know! They were bloody rude to do that, and I'll make sure you get the answer you deserve!"

Alice winced at the way Grace's voice slid into her true accent, Cockney. Moving quickly, she placed a calming hand on Grace's arm. "Grace, calm down! Don't you have customers?"

Grace seemed livid. She glowered at the table, easily matching the redhead, who seemed just as angry.

Alice let out a tired breath and gently pushed at Grace's arm. "Please? For me, please don't."

Grace looked at Alice. With a curt nod, she backed off. Alice flushed with embarrassment as Grace left.

Facing the table, she rubbed her upper arm nervously. "I'm so sorry about that. Grace tends to overact. You'll get a breakfast free."

The elderly gentleman shook his head. "No, no. We shouldn't have asked."

"How could you know, sir? He was killed when the house he lived in with his granddaughter was robbed."

"Granddaughter?"

Alice was sure she was imagining things now. She could have sworn that he…no, he couldn't. Could he?

"Yes, sir, his granddaughter."

"I see."

Something about that old man was really making her nervous. Not a bad nervous, just an uncomfortable one. "Is there anything else, sir?"

"No. Thank you for being so understanding. We apologize for upsetting you."

Alice smiled warmly. His apology seemed genuine to her. "His death was rather sudden. I guess it still hurts. If there is nothing I can do for you, I'll leave you to eat."

The elderly man nodded, and she turned, leaving. Bring up their bill, she pinned the table number to it. Alice moved to the women's changing rooms, clocking out.

Getting into her motorcycle garb, she moved to the back hallway. "Alice, where are you going?"

"I need to drive. Tell boss-man I'm sorry. Please?"

Alice faced Grace with a tired smile. She heard the rain start, waiting for Grace's reply. "You'll need to grieve sooner or later, Alice."

"I know." She sounded as tired as she felt.

"He'll understand."

Alice smiled her thanks and left, pulling her helmet on. Getting on her motorcycle, she started it up. She relished the feel of that power under her control. With a little nudge forward, she was off.

Turning, Alice knew exactly where she was headed. She was going to go the local cemetery and shout at a headstone.

**End Chapter Two**


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter Three**

Alice's motorcycle was parked next to the gate. Her frustrated steps slid slightly on the wet ground. She angrily yanked her helmet off and threw it at the marble block. "What the _hell_?"

Her voice screeched as her helmet bounced off harmlessly. She ran her fingers forcefully through her hair, only to get an unpleasant tug. With angry movements she yanked the gloves off, stuffing them into her jacket pocket. "You die and your past haunts _me_ instead! There's this guy who was at the restaurant, and he…I don't know!"

She was panting with suppressed anger, frustration, and grief. She felt as if the emotions wore her out more then a mile run. With an angry yell, she swung her foot at the tombstone. She missed and managed to slip, falling onto her back hard enough to bruise. She let out a cough, rolling over slightly in the mud.

Pushing herself up tiredly onto her knees, she glared at the tombstone. "So what? You got shot in _Germany_! Germany! Which has one of the lowest gun related death rates in the world! How is it that you figure into that?" Her voice was demanding.

She dug her fingers into the mud, tears beginning to slide down her face. The unfamiliar sound of a double click was followed by something pressed against the back of her head. She took in a startled, hitched, breath. "Well, well, well. Looks like I didn't have to go searching for you, after all. Stand up!"

She stood up slowly, panic rising in her chest. The thing at the back of her head pressed a little harder. "Now, we're going to take a little ride, and you're going to tell me where Dr. Kirshner hid his research."

Alice stumbled a little, confusion spreading across her face. She didn't know about research. To her knowledge, he had never done any research. "What research?"

A quiet cry of pain escaped with another shove to her head. She let out a curse and turned suddenly, only to see a guy in a black suit pointing a gun at her.

Her eyes widened with fear. "Look, we can do it the easy way, or the hard way! You could just give me the research, or I can force you to tell me where it is!"

"What research? Dr. Kirshner wasn't a research scientist!"

She stepped away from the gun-wielding man, only to fall back into the mud. She let out a short cough, trembling a little. "Don't lie to me! We know Dr. Kirshner had research!"

Alice shook her head in confusion over why they were asking her this. She bit down on her lip as the man's finger moved closer to the trigger. "You have one last chance."

"And for the last time, I don't know what you are talking about!"

She tensed, waiting for the bullet. It never came.

It happened quickly, for her. A large man grabbed the suit wearer, throwing him back. The gun went off with the movement. Alice missed where it went. She felt no pain, so she assumed she hadn't been hit.

Her eyes widened slightly in shock. The large man moved to keep himself between her and the suit man. Her hands slipped through the mud. She shivered more from the fear then the chill in the air.

The suited man ran off, and the large man looked over at her. "Are you all right?"

She nodded nervously. She gave a little squeak as he strode over. Holding his hand out, he waited. Her eyes darted nervously before accepting the offer.

Alice found herself barely able to support her own weight. A gentle hand rested against her lower back. "Are you sure?"

"Give me a minute."

She felt herself being directed onto a bench. Alice buried a muddy hand into her hair, gripping the roots. She was still shaking, still scared. She didn't know what was happening to her life anymore!

While it had never been perfect, she had never felt so turned around. She let out an upset groan. "You should never repress emotions."

The tall man's voice startled her. She peeked up at him, having it click that she felt relaxed around him. She sat up a little before giving a thin smile she was known for. "I know."

As she stood, he moved out of her space. He remained close however. "Thanks."

She walked back to her helmet, picking it back up. Turning and nearly falling, she went to her bike. The large man was already walking toward the more rural areas. She watched him for a moment. He stood out like a sore thumb. He was very tall and obviously was not of European decent, the brown tone seeming too natural on his skin to be a tan. She shook her head and looked away.

Putting the helmet on, she left off her gloves before starting the bike. With the roar of the engine surrounding her, she took off. Her bike weaved a little before she picked up speed.

Her hands still shook from the fear. She shouldn't be driving, but she was. Her shoulders twitched a little, tensing. The speed picked up as her tension grew.

She didn't know what was happening. Someone wanted something that she was sure never existed. She shook her head, pulling over to a stop.

Her head was starting to hurt again. She balanced on her bike, pulling off her helmet. She hung the helmet over the handlebar and began to rub her temples gently. A sharp stabbing pain shot through her temples and she let out a low whimper. Alice felt herself humming the song of her music box.

A rumble across the sky told her she needed to hurry home. Staring up at the sky, as if it had betrayed her in some way, she dismounted and began to walk down the road. "I really hope it doesn't start to pour."

**End Chapter 3**


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter Four**

Alice hummed as she cleaned up the living room. She was wearing a house dress, as seen in a 1940s magazine; it had been her maternal great-grandmother's dress. Alice was focused on cleaning, something she enjoyed. Her hand wiped down the mantel with the ease of practice. She relaxed as she hummed, smiling gently to herself. The picture on the far left made her pause, and she sighed with some fondness.

In the picture, Alice had her nose stuck in a book, a small Christmas party in the background. Grace had mistletoe over Alice's head and looked like a panther going in for the kill.

A knock at the door made Alice jump, and she finished wiping off the frame, then the rest of the mantel. Putting the picture back, she walked over to the window. She pushed the curtain back a little. On the porch was the ruddy skinned gentleman from the cemetery, and she raised an eyebrow. Debating, she turned and opened up the door to her visitor, only to find she had more than one.

Hidden on the other side of her savior from the cemetery was the old man from the restaurant. She gave an annoyed huff and leaned against the door frame, crossing her arms. "Oh, you two know each other. Well, what is it that you wish to know now, sir?"

"You are his granddaughter?"

Alice took a deep breath and nodded in agreement. The man who had saved her just seemed to stare at her, as if he knew her secrets or something like that. She tensed slightly and stood up normally. "Would you like to come in?"

The old man looked startled, and she got an irritated look on her face. Taking a calming breath, she prevented herself from saying something stupid. "Wouldn't you like to sit while we talk?" she clarified.

The old man nodded slightly, and she moved out of their way. "The den is to your left."

They entered, and she shut the front door behind them. Alice showed them into her den with green tile that easily went with the wallpaper, before she followed them in. She walked in an irritated fashion. Making sure they were comfortable, her brain clawed for something to stall talking to them. "Can I offer you anything? Tea, coffee, water?"

"Coffee, please, Miss Kirshner."

The tanned man shook his head no, and she got the coffee, black if she remembered correctly. She already had a pot started, and once it was finished, she got two mugs. One was for her guest, the other for herself, a generic white mug. She walked back in quickly, handed the old man his mug, politely, and sat down in the chair that replaced the one her grandfather had died in. "I am Dr. Isaac Gilmore an-…"

Dr. Gilmore was cut off by the shattering of the mug. Coffee went everywhere, and she was much paler. "Oh…I'm sorry. I haven't been myself lately. Please, excuse me for a moment."

She exited quickly and stood at the counter. She shook a little and got towels to clean up the broken pieces and dry the floor. "Are you all right?"

She looked up at the guy who had saved her. "I'm fine. I didn't get your name."

"I am called G-Junior."

She nodded and collected the messed up towels, tossing them away instead of deciding to pick through them. She wasn't usually this clumsy, but something about confronting her grandfather's past was not settling well with her. She collected herself before she joined them again. "Well, Dr. Gilmore, what was it you wished to talk with me about?"

"I needed to ask if my old colleague had any research that he didn't have published?"

"Not that I know of, Herr Doktor."

Dr. Gilmore nodded and finished his coffee. "I am sorry to take your time. Good day, Miss Kirshner."

She saw them to the door, and once they were gone, locked it tight. Rushing to the phone, she began to rotary dial her job. She needed to get away from here, and fast. She finished getting a leave of absence from work, and began to find out what she could safely carry to her maternal grandfather's home.

Alice knew it was going to be too dangerous to stay there long. People were coming after her for something she had no clue about. She didn't even know what research he _had_ published. Packing up a backpack with needed things, she wrote a note for Grace.

Getting on her bike, she got to Grace's and slid the envelope into the "secret spot" where they hid everything. It looked like it went under the awning, when in reality they put it through a loose section above the door, which made it fall inside.

Heading down the stairs, she slipped on the helmet and revved up the engine before taking off. Racing down the highway, she ignored the built up feeling that was starting at the base of skull. She let out a low growl of annoyance and sped off, heading south.

She just needed to get out of here. Take time to clear her head, to be herself. She needed to grieve, and denying herself that, had made her feel like she was a stranger inside her own head. Maybe spending some time with her maternal grandfather would help.

**End Chapter Four**


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter Five**

Alice drove up to a seaside cottage. The winds were cold, and carried the smell of the sea farther then the sight. She parked the bike under a slight awning and dismounted. Pulling the tan messenger bag's strap over her opposite shoulder, she then walked up to the front door. She knocked loudly and waited as a voice shouted back, "In a minute."

She waited patiently and smiled a little when her maternal grandfather opened the door. Their eyes were nearly identical, and Alice smiled warmly. "Hallo, Grandfather," she greeted.

"Don't tell me you've joined a biker gang since the last time I saw you!" he grunted and she shook her head.

"No. Just wanted one," she answered truthfully.

"Darned things are more of a menace then that other…_grandfather_ of yours," he retorted.

Alice flinched and wrapped her arms around her middle. His eyes softened a little, and he gently reached out, resting a hand on her shoulder. "What happened?" he asked softly.

She suddenly began to sob and wrapped her arms around his middle, burying her face into his chest. Slowly, she began to tell him what had happened. He wrapped his arms warmly around his granddaughter the entire time, the sound of the ocean and wind almost drowning out her voice.

It took awhile for Alice to calm down, her breathing hitched. Once she had, it was as if a gaping wound inside her heart had finally scabbed over. It was still there, and it still hurt, but it would start healing. She began to take deep breathes, and her grandfather smiled a little. "Now, let us go inside, enjoy some nice hot cocoa, and you tell me where you think you are going in life. Get your mind off of things," he demanded, steering her inside.

He made her sit, though it didn't take much to convince her to do so, and then he went to the kitchen. Alice felt comfortable, if drained, from her emotional breakdown on the front porch, in this home she had spent the majority of her years in. She smiled as memories of learning how to dance, ballroom style, around the room and laughed a little at that memory. For her, this cottage by the sea represented everything she loved in life.

The ocean and sweet salt air brought to mind these memories, coupled with the paintings she had made of the place in her later years. "So, have you painted anything recently?" Grandfather Thomas asked, giving her a mug.

Alice smiled weakly at that. Naturally, he would ask about that first. "No, not really."

"Don't tell me that you still have that late-night job of waitressing?"

"It pays the bills," she responded.

"You hate it."

"It was you who said, 'you don't have to love the thing that gets bread on the table' or something like that."

Her grandfather gave her a glare, and she shrugged a little. She was just starting to flatline emotionally, and she let out a puff of air. She sipped her cocoa and stared at the one picture from her grandfather's childhood. "How did you get over your older brother dying?" Alice asked, focusing on her grandfather once more.

Alice felt like the silence after the question stretched out past all of eternity, waiting for his answer. "No. All I comfort myself with is that he died free," he finally responded and Alice let out large breath, focusing back on the picture.

It stood out the most, mostly because it was the only black and white one in the entire home. Alice had always been attracted to it, even basing a painting around that picture. "How long are you planning on staying?" he asked, in what Alice thought was out of the blue.

She became thoughtful, staring at her cocoa. She turned the mug around in her hands and spoke to it, instead of her grandfather. "A couple of days, maybe more."

Alice shook a little and then finished off her cocoa. Silence encompassed them again, and she put her mug on the coffee table. She leaned back against the couch. With a deep sigh, she felt the tears falling down her cheeks again. She felt the couch dip down next to her and she turned, staring at her grandfather. "I…can't believe he's gone!" she exclaimed and hugged him again, sobbing into his shoulder.

She felt tired and emotionally spent. And right now, she wanted nothing more then to forget the outside world, forget the hunt for research that didn't exist...and forget those men in the suits.

**End Chapter Five**


	6. Chapter 6

A/N – The quote in this chapter is from Shakespeare, specifically from 'A Midsummer Night's Dream' and said by Oberon.

**Chapter Six**

Grace Thompson was furious beyond words at these tourists. They had upset Alice, and it was something that did not settle well with Grace. Not in any sense. She stormed through the town's main street, searching for them. Any of the ones from the restaurant, the ones she knew. She let out an annoyed screech when she couldn't find them, making everyone who lived there, and quite a few who didn't, scurry away from her.

Hands balled into fists at her sides, arms shaking, she continued on her frenzied search for the people who had made Alice upset. Beyond upset, actually, if her note reflected anything. 'Of course, that could mean that she is still reeling from her grandfather's death. Well, grandfather-figure anyway,' she thought, eyes merely slits from her fury.

Grace's mind was half-clouded by rage, and she wasn't sure what she would do if she ran into one of the guys from the restaurant. She stormed past a petite blond holding a baby, half-registering them as she headed for the farmer's market at the other end of the town. She brushed past a short, chubby, man and a tall, ruddy skinned gentleman. They registered, but she did not fully notice them in her one-tracked brain. None of them were from the restaurant, and she was looking for those people specifically.

She paused when she saw the old man from the restaurant. With a single-minded determination, she went through the crowd, locals clearing the way quickly. Grace took great pride in the fact she had good control over her anger. However, this was beyond anger. They had done the unforgivable, and that was upset Alice enough to send her running to her grandfather's home.

Grace came to a stop next to the old man and planted herself in his way. "May we talk a moment?" she bit out.

He startled, and someone laid a calming hand on her shoulder. She shrugged off whoever it was violently, still glowering at the old man. "Look, I just want a few questions answered, truthfully! And if you're not honest…I have no idea what I'll do, but I do _not_ like being li-…Will you leave me the bloody hell alone?" she snapped, turning on whoever was trying to get her to calm down, as he had been trying to talk over her.

"Language! And from such a nice girl too," a British man stated, and she death-glared at him.

Grace crossed her arms and then let out a breath. "So sorry. I didn't realize I was in high society," she retorted in annoyance.

The British gentleman actually looked hurt, and Grace winced. The hurt look always made her feel guilty, usually because an off-handed comment that usually insulted Alice had gotten her reacting to the 'injured' look. It bled away her anger, and she sighed, now focused on the Brit. "Sorry. I can get a bit short-tempered over some…things," she apologized honestly.

He brightened. "That is quite all right, dear lady! However, it is a moral imperative that we learn each others' names. I am called G.B.," he greeted.

Grace twitched in slight annoyance. Was he trying to…flirt with her? "I'm Grace Thompson," she answered hesitantly.

G.B. beamed and she mentally groaned. It seemed he was. "_'The rude sea grew civil at her song_

_And certain stars shot madly from their spheres _

_To hear the sea-maiden's song.'_ I think it the perfect fit for a lovely lady such as yourself, with an equally lovely name!" he flirted.

Grace mentally smacked the palm of her hand to her forehead, her real hand twitching to do so. She knew she had heard that quote before. Oh…yeah. That had been one of _her_ lines. She had searched for weeks, not really being one for old Elizabethan plays, and found one that convinced her significant other to go on their first date. She looked at the old man. "Is he _always_ like this?" she asked and G.B. acted insulted again.

"Yes, he is," the old man answered.

Grace groaned and counted down from ten in her head. Once she found she could speak with a civil tongue, she focused on G.B. with an icy look. "First thing, that quote does not fit me. Two, I am spoken for, also known as dating someone else! Three, I used that quote to get a first date with said person mentioned in two. Now that that is cleared up, back to what brought me over here in the first place," she stated flatly.

She was not in the mood to have mixed signals, nor to be flirted with. She needed answers and was going to get them. It was only after she had focused on the old man again, with her head clearer, thanks to G.B. distracting her, she found she was half-surrounded. "Naturally," she commented dryly, her annoyance flaring.

With a slight huff, she glowered at them all. "Fine. However, I _will_ find out what you said or did to upset Alice. Trust me," she grumbled and stormed off.

A breeze wound itself through the stalls of the farmer's market. The wind fluttered the cloth over the stalls and it held a peaceful air, despite the heated discussion that had occurred moments before.

People moved out of Grace's way, as if they knew she was angry just by the way she looked. She did not move out of their way, almost as if she didn't see them. The cyborgs watched Grace leave in a huff, and Dr. Gilmore sighed. "She might cause us some problems," Albert warned, watching Grace go.

"Yes, but this is the last lead we have to Dr. Kirshner's research. And so long as Black Ghost doesn't have it, they'll keep looking. We must get that research before they do. Especially since I have no idea what it entailed," Dr. Gilmore admitted.

Albert watched Grace turn away and nodded a little. "What was he a doctor of? Cyborg technology?" Jet grumbled.

"No. Dr. Kirshner was a psychologist; specifically in cognitive and developmental psychology. Nothing he did before had ever interested Black Ghost, so I'm not sure why this research has suddenly caught their interest," Dr. Gilmore answered.

"Either way, we should get back to the _Dolphin_ before continuing this discussion, to keep it away from prying ears," Albert stated.

"For the last time! Its name is _not_, I repeat, _**not**_, the _Dolphin_! What kind-of name is that for a ship, anyway?" Jet shouted.

"Come on, the _Dolphin_ is the perfect name for our ship," Albert responded.

"No, it is not! Now, will you stop calling it that?"

"I see all the honey from the restaurant hasn't sweetened your disposition one bit. How much longer till we reach the _Dolphin_, Pyunma?" Albert retorted before he asked Pyunma his question.

Jet threw another little fit over the ship's name while Pyunma answered. He got in on the game of 'Annoying Jet with the _Dolphin_'. As they reached the cliff near where they left their ship, however, Albert turned back.

He stared down at the town, briefly remembering how it had looked once. He had lived in a shack of a house, here where it was once East Berlin. Maybe lived wasn't the right word, but he had survived. Now, all he had were memories, considering the ring with the chain that had been broken during the fight with 0011. "Heinrich! This is not the time to be sight-seeing! You want Black Ghost to catch onto us?"

"I don't know, Jet. You're screaming alone might tell them our exact location, even if they were in outer space," Albert retorted as he walked up to the red-head.

**End Chapter Six**


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter Seven**

Grace glared venomously at the group in front of her. She only had to wait on them because it was part of her job. She looked over at a new face and then at the rest. The old guy with the beard, though it was a tie between him and GB, looked nervous. "We may have gotten off on the wrong foot. When is your next break?" the bearded old man asked.

Grace glared more and tapped her pencil against the order pad. "Why do you want to know?" she asked.

"We feel we owe you an explanation…to some extent," he explained.

Grace nodded and walked back. "Vinnie, take over my section. I'm taking ten," she explained to the waiter who wasn't doing any work.

She then walked back out, pulled up a chair and turned it backward before she sat on it. "You have ten minutes, maybe less, talk," Grace stated and focused on the bearded, old man.

"I am Dr. Gilmore. I am sort-of, a former associate of Dr. Kirshner. We knew each other toward the beginning of our careers, however, he was going into a little known science at the time. We had very different goals. He was in the middle of some important research when he stopped corresponding. I'm afraid Alice is the only one who may know anything about it, and we need to find that research," Dr. Gilmore stated.

"Uh-huh. And who are these, your associates? A flirting Shakespeare buff, a redhead who can't even admit when he can't read a menu, a man who speaks German, and really the only one I could see being a doctor of any sort, and a strong, silent-type, kind-of guy who sticks out like a sore thumb. He might be a doctor too, however. He looks like he's smart," Grace retorted with a skeptical tone.

Dr. Gilmore sighed and rubbed his eyes. "I'm G-Junior," the strong, tall, silent type introduced.

"Grace," she answered, her eyes sweeping up and down, as if she was looking at his character.

"Oh, I see why you turned me down! You're into the big, strong, silent type!" GB exclaimed.

"No. I'm into a petite painter," Grace retorted sharply, before focusing on G-Junior.

Junior shifted a little and spoke in a low tone. "I met Alice the other day, in the cemetery. A man with a gun had gone after her and was threatening her life. I intervened," he explained.

Grace stared. She then stood up and walked into the back. She took off the apron and approached her boss. "I'm going after Alice," she explained and walked back out.

"I'll tell you where she went…on one condition; that you take me with you," Grace stated as she faced them.

"Are you insane? Did you not listen?" the redhead exclaimed.

She put her fists on her hips and stood defiantly. "You will learn _nothing_ until you make that promise and act upon it.

The redhead was about to retort when Dr. Gilmore interrupted. "Very well. Albert, will drive you, if you have no objections," he stated.

"Better not be Carrot there," Grace stated, jabbing her thumb in said redhead's direction.

"What? Who are you calling a carrot you mud-head?"

Grace ignored him and focused on Dr. Gilmore. "No. I'm Albert," the gray haired one stated.

"Oh. Steel Eyes? Great. Let's go. I'll tell you, and you can tell them while I pack. However, I won't give you the directions till I'm safe in the car," Grace stated, and she walked out with the intention that Albert should follow her.

/

The restaurant was oddly silent after Grace had left. It wasn't like it had been very loud, though the sudden exit had taken out one very loud personality. That feeling of silence continued to cling to everything, until the sound of voices in the kitchen drifted to the cyborgs.

The restaurant hadn't really changed in atmosphere. It was almost empty and everything was oddly still. The group was in a private room, and there was no one who could have heard them. Jet gave the pair who had spilled the beans a look. "Why'd you have to tell her that, G-Junior?" he growled out.

"She never would have told us where Miss Alice was otherwise. Or even gone to her so we could follow," G-Junior explained before he closed his eyes in contemplation.

"Hey! Steel Eyes, this is not the time to be molasses! Come on!" Grace snapped from the doorway before heading back out.

The group looked up at the voice then at Albert. Almost as if they expected him to go now.

Albert shook his head and followed her out. He went out onto the street and easily kept up with Grace. She was almost distracted, though managed to notice his presence. "I live close so you don't have to worry about your car at the restaurant," she stated.

Albert nodded his head in response and followed her. Grace seemed to know where she was going.

"Will the others be following in another car or something?" she asked.

Albert figured that she was trying to make conversation. "Or something."

Grace muttered something under her breath, and he raised an eyebrow at her. He was pretty sure she had just cursed them all. "I'm already there, so damning me to Hell won't do much," he stated with some amusement and Grace whirled on him.

She opened her mouth, possibly to respond, before she snapped it shut and turned back. She picked up her pace, and he easily matched her new pace. "What's your last name?" Grace asked.

"What's yours?"

"Thompson."

"Heinrich."

Grace stopped suddenly and looked at him, before continuing onward. She walked forward again and opened her door. "I'll be down in five," she stated, heading for the stairs.

She paused on the first step as Albert shut the door behind him. "Don't touch anything," she added and continued upstairs.

Albert watched her walk upstairs, and he looked around. There were no knick-knacks in the front hallway, or anything that said this belonged to anyone, really. He noticed the only thing added to the room, most likely, was the coat stand. Everything else was bolted to the walls. There was nothing personal in this front room.

Grace came back downstairs, a duffle bag over her shoulder, and she opened the door. "Time to go," she ordered and Albert followed, mostly out of amusement.

He waited before taking over the lead and taking her to the car. Albert got into the driver's side, while Grace got into the passenger side. He looked at her. "Where to?"

"Grandfather Thomas's Cottage by the Sea, and the only cottage that overlooks the opposite sea. Easy find," Grace stated with a grin.

"You mean that large two-story one that can be seen just among those pine trees?"

"Norway spruce as Alice reminds me constantly."

Albert shrugged and turned on the car. With that, he stepped on the gas and took off. Grace clung to the seat and closed her eyes tightly. "Oh God, oh God, we're all going to die!" she whimpered.

"We are not going to die," Albert retorted.

"You're right…you'll kill me!" Grace responded.

Albert gave her a look. "You're almost as bad as Jet. I'm not that bad of a driver!" Albert stated.

"You're not good! I feel safer on Alice's monstrosity!" Grace shouted at him.

**End Chapter Seven**


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter Eight**

Alice let out a soft sigh as she relaxed on the front porch swing. She was dressed in the outfit she had worn on the day she had run. As she pushed herself back, she lifted her foot to let her swing. For a moment, she was in a memory of being pushed back and forth.

"Alice!"

The familiar voice knocked Alice out of her revere. She opened her eyes, uncertain if what she heard was from memory or reality. She looked down the pathway and stood up with a dazed smile on her face when she saw Grace running up. Alice didn't have a chance to react as Grace half-crashed into Alice, while simultaneously wrapping her arms protectively around Alice. Grace began to look all over Alice's face and suddenly pulled her closer. Alice was sure Grace was trying to fuse them together, though it didn't matter.

After all the turmoil in her own head, she was very glad to see Grace again. Her arms wrapped around Grace's waist, and they stood there. Alice had never felt safer then right there. She already had a plan formulating to get Grace to push her on the swing when a low cough behind them made Alice flush a little.

She tried to detangle herself from Grace, who refused to let Alice go. She flushed more and turned, Grace keeping her arms tight around Alice's waist. "Uh…Grandpa, you know Grace. Grace, Grandpa," she introduced.

Grandpa Thomas nodded. "Yes. I think you neglected to tell me everything, Alice," he responded.

Alice flushed more, and he looked around. "Grace, who is your other friend?" he asked, which made Alice flush to a whole new shade of red in embarrassment.

The fact Grace had brought someone did not help Alice's embarrassment. She was never against minor public displays of affection, though the whole "arms wrapped around each other" was for private! Alice was pretty sure that her embarrassment could not get worse, until she saw who it was Grace had brought with her.

"G-Junior!" she exclaimed in surprise.

She once again tried to get out of Grace's grip. As much as she loved Grace, she really wanted to give her face a chance to go back to its normal color. "Huh…you know him?" Grace asked behind Alice's head, tightening her grip.

"Grace, would you stop? I missed you too, but right now is not the time!" Alice hissed a little.

"Nu-uh! I'm not letting you go! Last time I did, you took off. Nu-uh, not again," Grace mumbled in her thicker accent.

Alice's blush increased when she felt Grace nuzzle against her neck. "Grace!" she squeaked.

"Where'd Steel Eyes go?" Grace asked, right next to Alice's ear.

Alice felt incoherent at the moment. She was pretty sure she looked like a fish out of water as Grace intentionally embarrassed her. Well…Alice thought Grace was doing it on purpose. She wasn't entirely sure _what_ Grace was doing.

"He decided to go back," G-Junior answered.

Alice felt Grace's cheek brush up against her ear, and Alice let out a little squeak. "As amusing as it is to watch Alice becoming a brain-dead vegetable temporarily, might we continue this conversation inside? It is nearing winter, and a seaside home is not exactly known for warmth during that season," Grandfather Thomas stated dryly.

Alice let out a startled squeak, and she clung to Grace as she lifted Alice into her arms, bridal style. "I told you once, I told you again; No way and no 'ow am I lettin' you get away from me again!" Grace stated stubbornly, and Alice flushed more.

"Besides, you're cold. You aren't feeling it yet, like usual, but you are starting to shake," Grace added.

Alice stared at Grace and grumbled. "Coming, Big G?" Grace called, and Alice groaned quietly.

Once inside, Grace placed Alice on the couch and pulled the afghan, after double checking with Alice that it was okay, over her lap. Then, Grace snuggled against Alice and smiled. Alice gave up on having Grace ease up a little and instead gave her a look that spoke volumes of curiosity. "How did you get here so fast, anyway? With the way you drive, it should have taken you much longer," Alice questioned, carefully taking the cocoa from her grandfather.

"I told them I wouldn't tell them where you were unless they took me, so I wasn't the one driving. By the way, can I return home with you?" Grace responded as she gave puppy-dog eyes.

Alice smiled a little at Grace and sipped her cocoa quietly, noticing that G-Junior had one of the large mugs. "I thought you hated that monstrosity that I call a motorcycle and didn't trust it beyond it just standing there," she replied calmly.

Alice was having her revenge. Grace had made her squirm, and now she would return the favor. What could she say to that except 'all's fair in love and war'; and sometimes, for them, it was both.

"Alice, I may hate, loathe, and despise riding your motorcycle, but I _fear_ Albert's driving even more! _Please_ don't make me go back with them!" Grace exclaimed, almost throwing herself at Alice.

"Okay, okay! Be careful though! You almost spilled the cocoa," Alice answered, holding the mug out of Grace's reach.

Grace smiled brightly and snuggled against Alice. She blushed and went back to sipping her cocoa, while Grandfather Thomas shook his head over their antics. She let out a short yelp as Grace tried to steal some of her cocoa. "No! Mine!" Alice pouted a little, trying to keep the mug away from Grace.

Inside, it was warm; both within the house itself and in their hearts.

Outside, the wind ripped through the world and waves crashed into the beach mercilessly. There was the feeling of turning tides and an upcoming change. No one should be outside in such circumstances. One was.

/

Outside it was cold; in both the weather, and within the thoughts of the lone figure. Albert walked along the beach. His trench coat got caught in some wind and billowed out a little, making him look like someone forbidding. He left his path behind him as he mulled over Alice. When he had first seen her, nothing about her, omitting her eyes, was outstanding. However, at a distance, she had reminded him of someone he had not thought of in years, his mother.

That was impossible, considering his mother could not possibly be alive. The rest of his family was a different story, but he doubted he had any surviving relations left.

Of course, he didn't know for sure. Asking for a Heinrich family in German was like asking for a Smith family in America. Too many to be sure, and it was likely that he had only survived because he was a cyborg.

He paused in his musings to stare out at the ocean, the water just missing his feet. He heard the sound of Jet flying and looked up. Albert couldn't see him, but he was sure Jet was up there somewhere; he was probably that slight splotch of red in the sky of gray.

The day was full of winds that crossed each other and probably was not a good day for flying at all. Considering the fact that Jet often complained about high winds interrupting his flying, the fact he was, seemed odd to anyone who knew him.

/

High in the air, Jet was feeling free. He had once dreamed of flying, but he wasn't too sure if the price was worth a dream coming true. Sometimes, he wondered what it would have been like to live out his natural life. He often wondered it while flying, which sort of tainted the whole liberating feeling that came with the flying, and he banked to the left, as if suddenly turning would scare the thoughts away.

**End Chapter Eight**


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter Nine**

The night was welcomed in a sunset that exploded with color. Alice walked along barefoot, the breeze catching the ends of her jacket. One hand held a flashlight, the other was being held by Grace. They walked along, Alice half-leading. Grace held their shoes. "So why did you want to walk the…beach?" Grace asked, and Alice looked back at Grace's silhouette.

Alice shrugged a little and looked at Grace with a tiny smile on her face. "Because I wanted to show you my secret place," she responded softly.

Grace sighed a little, and Alice continued leading them. They walked along the beach, skirting the edges of the high tide; they made their way to her spot. Alice was quite happy to be showing Grace a part of her treasured childhood and grinned as they came to the cliff. Her toes scratched against some rocks, and Alice sighed a little. "Okay, I'll need my shoes back now. The fun part is about to begin."

"Joy."

Alice grinned as Grace gave her back her shoes, and she put them on before continuing, again. She eagerly led Grace down the rocky path, until they reached the spot where the cottage's lights were no longer visible. Alice turned on her flashlight. "Well, here's the entrance," Alice stated, focusing the light on the shallow cave.

"This is your place?" Grace asked, sounding let-down.

"Come on," Alice stated.

She almost laughed at Grace's comment on how they wouldn't fit. What little Grace knew about her cave. She had found it when she was five, and it had been her place since. Of course, she hadn't realized the shallow cave really lead into an inside cave until she was around fourteen or so. She slid along the back and found herself in a much larger cave.

"Alice?" Grace called, and Alice grinned when she heard the surprised gasp.

"My place," Alice reiterated, with some pride.

Alice sat on the ground, and placed the flashlight in front of her, the light pointed to the ceiling. "I used to spend hours in here," Alice commented.

She looked over when Grace gently brushed a piece of her hair out of her face. She turned and let out a muffled sound as Grace gave her a kiss. Grace's hand moved to help support Alice's head, and Alice was quite happy to let Grace take the lead on this. Grace quickly dominated the kiss, and Alice's eyes slid closed. In fact, everything held that wonderful feeling that came with being with Grace, until the echoes of a human voice reached them.

Grace got to the flashlight first, while Alice composed herself. "Is there another exit out of here or something?" she asked.

Alice became thoughtful for a moment. She then shrugged and answered, "I have no idea."

Grace groaned, and Alice stood up. She moved easily toward the cave edges and began to push lightly. As she came to one wall, she wiped her hand off from the grainy texture and pushed next to it, only to have her hand pass through midair. She blinked in surprise and looked over at Grace, who shined the light right past her. Immediately, the walkway showed up, and Alice shrugged. "I didn't explore, I just came here," Alice explained and walked through.

Alice moved forward easily, barely noticing how it got narrower. She ducked around a stalactite, not even phased. "Alice, I can't go any farther," Grace stated, and Alice stopped, focusing on Grace.

"What?" Alice asked.

"I can't go any farther. I'm not as flexible. Not that I mind you being that flexible, but you are tinier then me. Noticeably tinier. I'll be fine, you find out who is talking and interrupting our "our" time," Grace responded.

Alice hesitated before continuing on. She moved along, and she only paused long enough to have her eyes adjust to the dark. Now, Alice just focused on getting there. She was curious, and it spurred her forward instead of going back to Grace.

Alice's curiosity increased ten-fold, however, when she saw light at the other end. She picked up her speed until she was forced to crawl. Still, the light increased, and she wondered what was causing it. She winced when her knee bumped something hard and shifted to continue. "Whoa!" she exclaimed as she came out in a much larger cave.

She slowly pulled herself out and looked around. She saw the lights up near the top of the cave, and she slowly began to look down from there. Her jaw dropped when she saw a large red and white ship floating in the water. "There's a cave in the cliff?" she questioned out loud.

Alice slowly slid out and didn't notice when some rocks slid down the side. She was in too much shock over the fact there was a _ship_ under her home! A _ship_! The young woman stared out, unaware that two others knew someone was there.

The cave had only two entrances. The first was an underwater. The second was through the recently discovered pathway Alice found. Though, that entrance had been found by others before her. Those that inhabited the cave temporarily were also the ones who saved Alice and had to get the research that was supposed to exist.

/

Below her spot, G-Junior and Pyunma were sitting, about to go on watch. Pyunma had marine duty, while G-Junior was ground patrol. He looked up as the rocks slid down, and Pyunma stood. G-Junior followed his friend's gaze before he focused on Pyunma. The water-breather nodded and made his way up the cliff.

He moved quietly and with expertise. Resting a few feet away from where the rocks had come from, he started when he saw no one. He looked down at G-Junior and then back at the spot, after he saw the blood. He began to move forward, kneeling down. He looked up at the wall and shook his head.

"Someone had to be here, but I have no idea how they got here," Pyunma stated.

G-Junior looked up in surprise and stood back. He shook his head. "There should be a cave entrance," he corrected.

Pyunma glared a little at the wall and felt only rock. His eyes narrowed even more, and he stood. "Go get 004. He was the one who did original reconnaissance of the area. Maybe he'll have an idea of where that cave entrance went," Pyunma stated.

/

Inside the cave entrance, Alice was confused. She could see out, could see him standing there…but he couldn't find the cave entrance? She gripped her head in confusion, her headache spiking before she took off as fast as she could back to Grace. The minute she got to Grace, she clung and refused to let go, shaking.

Grace, unsure of what else to do, got her home.

**End Chapter Nine**


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter Ten**

Alice had decided to take a walk in the early morning. She shivered a little as the dew clung to her bare feet. Her warm dress fluttered dully against her ankles, and her coat snapped in the wind. She walked through the trees at the back of the house, before she headed into the sparse tree clumping. As she walked along, lost in her thoughts, the sound of a double click startled her out of her daydreaming. She turned to the sound and gasped, bumping against a tree suddenly.

The man in the black suit was there again. "It didn't take much to hunt you down. Just had to follow the saps and your girl. It didn't take much initiative. I had a harder time hunting you down the first time, but you walked straight to me. I am quite vexed with you. If you just handed over the research, I wouldn't have to be doing this. But, of course, you had to be stubborn and lie! So…we'll have to do it the old fashioned way. Kill the last living relative and claim to be his cousin or something," he stated, and his finger went for the trigger.

For Alice, what happened next was a blur, even in her own mind. The guy aimed and shot as the roar of a machine gun took over her hearing. She let out a cry of pain as the bullet hit her upper left arm. She hit the ground. She was losing blood, and fast. She began to feel light-headed and knew no more.

/

Albert hadn't thought when he saw the Black Ghost operative aiming his gun. He just reacted, raising his machine gun hand and firing. The Black Ghost goon had no chance, though Alice was still hit. He rushed to the scene, looking down at the body. He needed to make sure the goon was dead.

Once he was sure, he turned to Alice and carefully knelt down next to her. "004! Respond!" Francoise exclaimed over his walkie-talkie.

He pulled it out. "003, Alice got hit by one of Black Ghost's goons. There is some needed clean-up…and so far, no one has come running. So, everyone is incredibly heavy sleepers or they're deaf. Either way, we need a good excuse and someone in civilian clothes who would have a First Aid kit on them," Albert stated, while he used his knife hand to try to stop the bleeding.

Albert looked around nervously as he waited for his back-up. He wasn't too surprised when he saw Pyunma and G-Junior walk up. "We'll take it. You better be get moving on clean-up," Pyunma stated.

Albert nodded and got the body before taking off.

/

Pyunma immediately began to focus on taking care of Alice. He ignored getting out the bullet; a trained medical professional would be better. He carefully cut away some cloth before pushing some gauze against it. He then wrapped up her upper arm and looked at G-Junior. "People without hunting licenses shouldn't even be allowed around here," Pyunma muttered and looked over at the blood stained ground where the Black Ghost man had fallen.

"Let's get her to the cottage. We don't know where the nearest hospital is and taking her to the ship is not advisable," Pyunma stated.

G-Junior nodded and Pyunma helped to maneuver her into his arms. They walked back to the cottage and offered a lie to a grandfather who thought he had another flashback in the early morning.

**End Chapter Ten**


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter Eleven**

Alice awoke to the sound of beeping. She shifted and let out a low groan of pain before looking around, truly, at where she was. Alice let out a grunt of frustration when she realized she was in a hospital. She reached out with her good hand and she started when she felt worn wood. Alice looked down and smiled at her music box. It rested next to her, carefully placed amongst her covers.

The young woman carefully picked it up and smiled. She wound up the key and the familiar music of Brahms's Lullaby began to plink out. She ran her fingers along the top of the lid before opening it to read the inscription carved in there by her late great-uncle. "_Um meine Liebe von ganzem Herzen, Albert_," she whispered quietly, before she closed it back up.

She let out a soft sigh and looked over when Grace walked in. "Well, Old Tom went back up to the cottage. I told the nurse you were awake when I heard the groan," she said and Alice smiled a little.

"I'm taking it Grandfather Thomas isn't liking the nickname?" Alice questioned with some amusement.

"Nope. But you're the only one who does like them," Grace responded.

Alice gave a one-shouldered shrug and looked at the white curtains. Her fingers traced the lid, around the edelweiss with the roses, across the necks of the swans.

The day passed with normal routines. The weeks passed through Alice's recovery, and once she made it through without any complications, she was released. "Finally!" Alice exclaimed as she got into the car.

Her arm was still in the sling, and Grace sat on her right side in the back, while Thomas drove. Alice stared out the car window, her right hand resting on the music box. She saw Thomas out of the corner of her eye look back at her, and she smiled before she focused on the scenes outside the window.

"You know…your great-uncle got that for his wife. Scraped all his remaining money together for that thing and gave it to her as a birthday present, inscription and all. I thought he was being stupid, but my brother just laughed and said I would understand when I was married. As always, he was right," her grandfather stated and Alice smiled.

Her eyes never left the window, though she felt he would understand.

She thought she saw a flash of red and yellow again through the trees. She tensed and stared, before she sighed, holding her head. She had to be seeing things…she had to!

The day of Alice's homecoming was cold. The threat of snow was high, and the seas were becoming frothy along the coast. The waves slammed into the rocks and each time, the sea became a storm. The beach wasn't safe, and the winds wailed through the trees.

/

Joe was on patrol around the area for now. He could zip around the easiest unseen, and he watched Alice come home. He zipped back to the _Dolphin_, and he walked inside. "She's back," he reported to Dr. Gilmore.

"Now, we have to wait until her grandfather isn't in the house. She's no longer safe, even with us camped out below her home. And if we get her trust, she may tell us where the research is," Dr. Gilmore answered.

The cyborgs nodded in tandem and looked up at the ceiling of the _Dolphin_, as if they could see the person they decided to protect from Black Ghost.

**End Chapter Eleven**


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter Twelve**

Alice watched Grandfather Thomas drive off, and she rubbed the back of her neck before she went back to the kitchen to continue the painting she had started this morning. She had traced out the scene and now was Alice's favorite part, adding the color. She had just started on the trees when the sound of a knock made her grumble under her breath.

"I got it, Dove," Grace called from the living room, and Alice went back to her painting.

Her paintbrush moved quickly and soon a tree filled forest appeared. The clearing was obvious, and she was about to move onto the deer when Grace gently grabbed her wrist. "Sorry, luv. Some people want to talk to you," she apologized, and Alice raised an eyebrow.

She hadn't heard any voices; however, that happened when she painted. With a soft puff of air, she carefully cleaned off her brushes. She could hear Grace tapping her foot impatiently. "Dove…hurry up," she almost whined.

Alice purposely began to slow down and smiled when Grace began to complain more. Once finished with her brushes, she let Grace drag her out. Well, drag was a little harsh, but was close enough to what Grace did. She immediately felt betrayed when she saw the group from the restaurant, plus G-Junior, and pulled her good wrist out of Grace's grip. "So _this_ is why you didn't just take over the cleaning of my brushes!" Alice snapped, glaring at Grace with a hurt expression.

"Dove, they aren't all bad! Steel Eyes is a bad driver, Carrot has a temper, and Mini-Casanova is a flirt, but Big G is great!" Grace explained, as if that would calm Alice down.

Alice only pulled away and ran out. "Alice!"

She ignored Grace and just ran out the back door, it slammed open. Alice just kept running until she came to the edge of the cliff. She let her anger stew quietly as she glared violently out at the sea. It seemed to churn with her anger and slammed into the beach.

Alice never felt the cold, even as the wind howled around her. It took quite a few moments before she began to shiver. It was only then that she realized she had run out with nothing to protect her.

She jumped as something dropped carefully over her shoulders and she turned, almost sending the simple blanket over the cliff. "Careful," G-Junior stated, carefully reaching out to protect her should she stumble.

Alice carefully gripped the blanket around her shoulders and walked a safe distance away from where she was originally standing. The young woman let out a soft sigh and shifted a little. "Grace sent you after me?" she asked.

"No."

Alice let out a snort of disbelief, and they began to walk. It almost like he was waiting for her to speak. "Are all those paintings yours?" he asked suddenly.

"The ones in the cottage?"

A silent nod was his response.

"Yes."

Alice paused when she came to the clearing. Her eyes swept for any sign there had been an exchange of gunfire. "I feel insane. I thought I had heard the sound of machine gun fire…before I passed out," she murmured.

"You come here a lot."

It hadn't sounded like a question. Alice looked over at G-Junior and nodded before she walked among the trees. She carefully sat down and leaned back against her favorite tree. She almost felt G-Junior sit next to her, and she opened her eyes, only to confirm it. "You kind of scare me," she commented.

His silence just made her want to fill it with idle chatter. Well, not entirely idle.

She looked up. "For some odd reason, I don't think I could ever shut up until I told you every single secret of my life. And I shouldn't. Secrets aren't secrets if you share them," she explained.

Her good hand clenched nervously and shivered a little, though she didn't feel cold. A large hand rested on her good shoulder, and she looked up. "Some secrets should be told."

She gave him a look before staring straight ahead. "Did he ever have research?"

"Who?"

"You're grandfather."

"My grandfather has never done any research!" Alice grumbled, before paling.

She groaned and lowered her head down slightly. She let out a strained sound of frustration and pain when she jerked her bad arm in an attempt to get up. With a sudden surge of stubbornness, she stood and began to walk away. "What did you mean?"

Alice sighed as she stopped her retreat. "Dr. Kirshner was not my grandfather. I viewed him that way, but mother _dearest_ felt that her father wouldn't be able to handle the fact she was not married, nor had any idea who my father was. However, my grandfather found out and…it went from there. Everything in my life basically became a lie…well, a bunch of lies. A sort-of game that was never fun and always troublesome. Everyone was trying to use me like a…pawn; Dr. Kirshner more so then the others. And since I can't seem to shut up…he once had research. He completely destroyed it before I even began my job as a waitress," she rambled.

She groaned and rested her head against her tree. She just wanted to wake up and realize it was all a long, drawn out, nightmare; that when she woke up, she would walk downstairs and everything would be normal again. Alice let out a low sigh and asked, "This isn't just going to all go away, is it?"

"No."

Alice sighed and slowly sat back down. G-Junior's gentle hand rested on her back, and she stared blankly at the grass.

/

Two hours later, G-Junior walked back with Alice leading the way. She looked at the group, up on her porch and gave a deep sigh. "I'm ready to tell you everything," Alice stated, looking up at them.

**End Chapter Twelve**


	13. Chapter 13

**Chapter Thirteen**

They all sat in the living room once more, and Alice stared off into the distance. She shook her head and looked over at them. "At one time, Dr. Kirshner had research. He got rid of it before I even began my waitressing job. And he wasn't my grandfather. He never had any children, but my mother was a psychology student of his, as well as a friend. He agreed to lie about a dead son so my mother's honor could be preserved. Let's just skip that part of the story with the fact it didn't work, and Grandfather Thomas figured it out.

"However, if it helps, Dr. Kirshner always used to play memory games and various other psychological aids with me. He said something about how it would unlock my true potential. I don't know what he meant by that, but if it helps. Now, if I have been of enough assistance to you, please go," Alice explained softly.

The Japanese speaking young man said something, and Alice raised an eyebrow.

"I only know German and English…with some Swedish. What did he ask?" Grace asked from Alice's right.

"He asked if Dr. Kirshner used her in the research," Steel-Eyes answered calmly.

"Grace, I think you would have learned not to try and intercede on my behalf. And, I think I'm going to just record my voice and play it back every time someone asks me something I don't know!" Alice responded sharply.

Her eyes flickered over to Grace. She was still hurt by Grace letting them in. For her, it was like confronting the worst things of her life all at once. Old wounds that had finally healed were ripped back open, and she really didn't want to deal with that at the moment. However, she doubted she had much choice as none of them were moving to leave.

"I am going to hazard a guess in the fact you think I have some inkling about the research, still?" she asked in a tired tone.

"Not at all. I think you _are_ the research," Dr. Gilmore stated, and Alice almost got whiplash from turning suddenly to give him a look.

"What gave you that idea?" Alice responded in an annoyed tone.

"Dr. Kirshner was a psychologist. If he had any research at all, it would be about the psychological aspects of the human mind…maybe even a way to condition someone," he explained.

Alice wheeled on him and glared. "I would think I would have known that! Besides, he just had me play mind games, that was it!" she exclaimed.

"But, they couldn't have just been games," Dr. Gilmore pressed.

"Well, no! They were memory games. Like those puzzles. Oh, and he encouraged my painting. I was _not_ his research. I couldn't have been!"

She refused to believe this. Yes, he used her, but not for any research. He…wouldn't have. He couldn't have! They were just lying, and she refused to believe it. Her eyes hardened, and he sighed with a tiny nod.

Dr. Gilmore slowly stood. "We'll be on our way then. Good day, Miss…" he responded.

"Heinrich," Alice supplied as she stood.

The silence made her annoyed, and she looked over at Grace. "That's also Steel-Eye's last name," Grace explained.

"It's a common last name. Have a good day, gentlemen." She stood up, escorting them to the door.

She stood quietly and watched them go. Once they were off the porch, she shut the door and looked over at Grace. "I'll be painting," she stated in a deadpan voice before she walked back to the kitchen.

Alice was not happy with Grace at the moment.

/

The day had passed in tension. Thomas had come home to find Alice painting, and Grace sitting in the living room, looking guilty. Alice had gone to bed early, and Thomas had found two broken paintbrushes with her normal ones. "Grace, what happened?" Thomas asked.

"Alice…just had to relive some stuff she didn't want to," Grace answered, staring up.

/

Alice clung to her head, shaking. Her headache was growing, and she finally fell back onto her bed, eyes shut. She shook and suddenly, her headache was gone. She relaxed and fell asleep. She shifted in her sleep and let out a soft sigh.

/

Grace was going to bed and it was late. As she passed Alice's room, she paused before continuing down the hallway. She gasped and paused when she saw London was painted around her. She looked around in shock, realizing that she was trapped there.

Grace felt like she was waking from a dream when she felt Old Thomas shaking her shoulders there. It took a few moments but she focused on the world around her once more.

"Grace?" he questioned.

Her eyes widened, and she gently pulled out of his grip. "I have to go," she said and suddenly ran downstairs.

She looked around, grabbed her jacket and hopped out the front door. "Oh please, oh please, oh please let them be close!" she begged quietly.

**End Chapter Thirteen**


	14. Chapter 14

**Chapter Fourteen**

Ivan suddenly awoke. _"Everyone! There was a psychic ripple!"_ he called out.

"Where Ivan?" Françoise asked.

"_Above!"_

"Above?" she answered and looked up.

"_It is Alice!"_

"What?" Jet asked.

"_Get up there! Grace is looking for us! And I have to get to Alice! She has no control!"_

/

Albert was the one to catch Grace. "Steel-Eyes, I think Dr. Gilmore might have been right."

"Might?"

"I was in London…but I had been walking in the hallway! Suddenly…it was like I was watching it be painted right in front of me. Only…I was almost sure I was back in London, except it was impossible unless I had dreamed this all up, and my dreams are not that imaginative! So…I think Dr. Gilmore may have been onto something when he suggested that. About Dr. Kirshner using her. I'm shutting up now."

Albert raised an eyebrow, and Grace scowled. "Stop giving me that look!" she snarled and crossed her arms in an annoyed fashion.

"What look?"

"That look of condescending…ness."

Albert's eyebrow just raised higher.

/

Ivan reached for Alice. Despite her headache dissipating, she was far from calm. She had dropped into the deepest of sleeps, but her mind was assaulted. He knew that feeling. Only, he had been younger, but he knew what to do.

He was gentle, carefully soothing her. At first, she had panicked.

It was a natural response. She was losing control, and suddenly a voice was talking to her in her mind. Once he had convinced her that he was there to help, it became much easier.

"_What is happening to me?"_

"_You're mind is waking up, Alice. Just calm down and think good thoughts. If any thought starts to make you panic, think of something else,"_ Ivan responded.

He noticed she reached for memories of sun filled days with Dr. Kirshner, yet at the same time recoiled. He could see the dark places of her mind where memories laid in wait. Once Alice was sufficiently calmed, Ivan didn't have to worry about anyone else being caught in one of her freak-outs.

"_Alice, why is it you can't think about Dr. Kirshner?"_

"_I don't know! He's always taken care of me! He cared for me more then my own __**mother**__! And she gave birth to me! Dr. Kirshner and Grandfather always took care of me!"_

"_Alice…look into your memories."_

/

The memories slid into her mind, while Alice begged for them not to be true. But it was. Dr. Kirshner had taken the best opportunity to use a young mind had taken it. He had begun to mold her into the first subject of his tests; first, to just prove if he got a child young enough, he could tap into the possible psychic potential naturally. Although it came with severe repercussions when something went wrong.

While not to the horror of being operated on, it was obvious that she had wanted something to cling to. At a younger age, she could only spend a small time with her real grandfather. Her happiest memories were around Grandfather Thomas, until she became older, and she had gotten into the habit of playing the memory games without Dr. Kirshner hovering over her.

And, Alice cried for the loss of what she might have had.

**End Chapter Fourteen**


	15. Chapter 15

**Chapter Fifteen**

It had taken Ivan a record of five minutes to convince Alice to come with them. And bring Grace. He was willing to wait for the morning, though Alice was distracted. Her mind was turmoil, and he slowly withdrew, feeling tired again. For now, Alice was all right. She was going to need help though. Right now, he was going to sleep again.

/

Alice was packing again. She was almost finished when she heard a knock on the bedroom door. She walked over and opened the door, arm still in the sling. Though, right now, it was throbbed, so that meant she had probably wrenched it. She looked up at her grandfather who carefully handed her a picture. She took it and let out a surprised gasp as she saw a picture of him, with his older brother, as teens. "Oh, Grandfather, I can't…" she exclaimed.

"You have family, Alice. Maybe you just need to see it more often. You got a lot from him. Maybe…this will help, with that music box. Of course, considering you love that music box more then I, it may not help you feel connected to your family. Wherever you go Alice, remember you will always be welcome here," he said and then went to his own room.

Alice stared down at the picture and slowly retreated into her room, sitting on the bed. Family. It was a word that was quickly becoming a curse word for her.

After moments of consideration, she put the black and white photograph, in frame, next to the music box in her suitcase and closed it one handed. With that, she placed it on the ground and lay back. Her arm was throbbing and she sighed. She went to her own washroom and changed the bandages.

She was going to leave in the morning. Maybe this…voice in her head was going to explain more to her tomorrow morning.

/

Alice sat up when she felt someone touch her shoulder. She looked at Grace and the Brit-gal smiled. "We're leaving, are we not?" Grace asked.

"Yeah. My suitcase is under the bed."

"You say your good-byes?"

Alice gave Grace a look and pulled the suitcase out with her good arm and they left. Alice never looked back, though Grace did. Her arm lifted off Alice's shoulders, and Alice guessed she was waving at someone behind them. New players were in the tug-of-war game that was her life. The rope? Apparently, it was her.

She really didn't like the fact she had no idea who the second team of black suited goons was. Alice was only going with the red team because she trusted some people there. Well, one person mainly.

"Hello Alice," G-Junior greeted.

"Hey," Alice responded and walked onto the platform of the ship she had seen the other day.

**End Chapter Fifteen**


	16. Chapter 16

**Chapter Sixteen**

Alice tensed a bit before she relaxed. Ivan, the voice in her head, had finally introduced himself; he had suggested she try meditating with G-Junior.

Considering how safe she felt near the calm man, it made sense. Right now, she was trying to keep her breathing even, and if Grace would stop fidgeting right behind her, she could probably do that. "Grace, I would highly appreciate it if you would please sit still," she bit out, her eyes snapping open as she turned to glare at Grace.

"Sorry, luv," Grace responded, trying to settle on the bed more.

While the door was open, the sounds outside of G-Junior's room were not bothering Alice as much as Grace's movement. G-Junior let out a gentle cough and Alice focused forward again. Resting her hands in her lap, she began the process all over again, following G-Junior's quiet breathing counts. Soon, the pair were synchronized in breathing and Alice finally relaxed. The tension rolled out of her shoulders, and she let out a soft sigh.

/

Grace, on the other hand, was not relaxed. She didn't want to be around the strange people and had wanted to stick close to Alice, though it was a bit tense between them. While Grace felt Alice had forgiven her, Grace had not forgiven herself. And she was horrible at sitting still, let alone meditating. Alice could easily go from standing still to movement, then back.

Carefully, Grace got off the bed and left the room, being very quiet. She trusted Alice's judgment to be relaxed around G-Junior, so she walked down the hallway. Grace had not really enjoyed the fact she was underwater, nor allowed anywhere that might cause trouble. The two girls were paired up with Francoise and Ivan, mostly because they had the space for two extra passengers. Grace being _extremely_ careful of Alice's arm the entire time.

At first, Francoise had been a bit surprised and then laughed a bit. Alice had almost ignored her, asking if she could play the music box to help her go to sleep. It was obvious, to Grace, that she wasn't sure what to feel towards the only other female on the boat, but Grace liked her.

Mostly because she spoke English, somewhat, and Alice could fill in holes that Grace couldn't put together herself. It really helped that Dr. Kirshner had her learn a bunch of European languages. Well, that was how Alice had explained it once.

As of right now, Francoise was who Grace was looking for.

She found Steel-Eyes instead, leaning against a bulkhead in the hallway. "Where's Blondie?" she asked him.

"I thought you were with G-Junior and Alice?" Albert answered.

Grace shrugged. "I still want an answer," she stated.

Albert motioned with a gloved hand and began to walk down the hallway. Grace rolled her eyes and followed him. Oh, she really didn't need silent communication from him at the moment. She got enough of that from Alice! Usually when she was thinking deeply or painting. "You know, you could have just told me."

He paused and smirked. "Where's the fun in that?" he asked and Grace felt her anger boil up.

"What _fun_? You think treating me like a trained dog is _fun_?" she shouted.

"I wasn't the one who followed."

Grace let out an exclamation of rage and stormed off down to the room she shared with Franҫoise. She'd find Blondie later.


	17. Chapter 17

**Chapter 17**

They were hiding on a coast. Alice's arm had healed shortly after arriving, and she could use it normally. However, she still had stabs of pain occasionally and she _should_ use the sling when she had those pains. However, she showed her rare stubborn side when that came up, pointedly ignoring the pain.

They were on the coast, up in the Scottish Highlands. A beautiful place, where the sun, when it shone, created a beautiful scene Alice happily painted. There were enough crags and mysterious darkness to hide the _Dolphin _without fear of the ship being found. The only member that hadn't joined them was Pyunma, mostly because he felt he should stay with the ship.

For some reason, she wasn't sure if it was the seaside or the fact she was healed, GB was increasing his flirting. For Alice, it was half amusing, half exasperating. She knew, okay she didn't know, she _hoped_ he was not doing it on the off-chance of getting a date from her. She had a thin smile on her face as he began to recite another Shakespearean sonnet.

Alice had to give him credit for not using a well-known Sonnet, specifically Sonnet 1.

However, despite all of this, Alice glanced over at Grace. Not surprisingly, Grace was slightly possessive, and was glaring at the back of GB's head with the promise of violence. Alice narrowed her own eyes at Grace across the room, and Grace just scowled more. It was obvious that Grace was _not_ happy with this situation.

Grace had threatened GB the last time he had flirted with the British girl, but not Alice, her Cockney accent flying thick and fast. So, GB had narrowed it down to Alice, who was tolerant, and Franҫoise, who was used to it.

GB mainly focused on Alice, and she focused back over at GB as he finished, before she settled the book on her chest to applaud. "Not a miss," she stated and picked the book up before continuing the reading.

Alice was also enjoying making Grace squirm and that rare jealous side to rise up as well as the attention. "However, I am still dating someone GB and will not cheat on my significant other," the young woman answered.

She _wanted_ to say 'girlfriend,' but Grace was the more private one on _that_. Alice mentally shook her head over that. Sometimes she didn't understand Grace. Possessively protective, yet not entirely open about their relationship. Alice glanced over at Franҫoise, then back at GB, who was still standing there, looking ready to perform once again.

'He must have once been an actor,' Alice thought to herself, staring up at the bald man.

"Let me compare thee to a summer's day…" GB began to recite, only to be cut off by Grace.

"That's it!"

The other woman marched over, all but shoved GB out of the way, and suddenly Alice found herself being kissed in a manner _usually_ reserved for private moments. She blinked in surprise, her book, as well as her arms, crushed to her chest, before she relaxed. The world seemed to fade around her under Grace's demanding nips. She allowed the girl the dominant position into her mouth. She was pretty sure she was being pushed into the arm of the sofa at some point, but Alice was beyond caring if she were in the den or if this was a surprise "attack" in the bedroom. Her eyes had long since closed when the kiss ended, more for air then any other reason.

She blinked, barely registering anyone, before her face flushed. She stood up, quickly exiting the room. She heard someone following her, probably Grace, who was going to be hitting her head on a wall when she remembered how Alice was.

Alice didn't mind surprise kisses, but…_making out_ in front of _everyone_ was not something Alice enjoyed. A quick kiss would have been sufficient! Alice continued through the house and was out the back door before she even realized where she was going, heading straight for the ocean.

/

Albert had been in the den, also reading. He had figured Alice and Grace were something of an item with the way they acted. However, some things, such as holding hands, sudden hugs, very quick kisses on the cheek, were easily shrugged off as close friendship. However, it was Alice's reaction one had to watch. The secretive smile, thin, and the way her eyes seemed to light up with joy when Grace instigated it or when Alice instigated it, a more common occurrence, with Grace responding in kind. It was Alice who was more open, Grace more subtle.

Grace wasn't being subtle when GB flirted with Alice however. He figured that Alice was riling Grace up on purpose though, and Albert gave his own smile, figuring that it was much how he enjoyed riling a certain red-head. Albert hadn't expected Grace to go charging across the room and basically claim Alice in front of an audience. Even he had to raise an eyebrow, and he had a bad feeling that this wasn't going to end well.

When Grace broke the kiss, it took awhile for Alice to gain her balance, and then she had gone, red-faced…most likely embarrassed. He sighed and followed after the girl, mostly because it was what he did, while Grace said something to GB. He wasn't sure what, but he had to focus on making sure that Alice didn't get captured…or die.

She wasn't in a good emotional place right now. Her life had been tossed up, but she had found a type of stability in Grace being there, as well as her music box. Albert, always a people watcher, had noticed Alice's little fits and sudden mood changes, with Grace being her rock, stabilized her from those emotions that had come with the forced change.

As he headed outside, it took awhile to find her, but wasn't too surprised when he found her walking the surf, her pants rolled up to her knees, shoes in her hand, along with the, now closed, book. Albert carefully joined her and began to walk next to her. "Everyone knows now?" she asked, though Albert figured she had been mulling over the question for awhile.

"If not now, then very soon," he responded.

She glanced up in surprise, obviously not expecting him, before she shifted her gaze back to the ocean. They hadn't really spoken often. Alice was either meditating, remaining in the room she shared with Franҫoise, Ivan, and Grace, trailing after G-Junior, or reading. He mostly saw her when she was reading or at mealtimes, which Grace often had to drag her to. He wasn't sure what she did within the shared room, it wasn't his place, though he figured it was something she enjoyed immensely.

They continued walking along, Albert being a silent presence for her to talk to, if she so wished. "It wasn't me…who wanted to hide it. Grace...she's stubborn and no one can make her change her mind," the girl explained quietly.

She stared out across the ocean, and Albert looked at her. "Why?"

Alice smiled humorlessly. "Last time we were open about our relationship, someone threw something at us. One person, a co-worker who quit shortly after, but Grace hasn't wanted to be open around new people since. Glad I don't get to be the one to tell her Franҫoise knew from the beginning," she answered softly, pausing to stare at the ocean.

The wind caused loose hair to spin around her face, and he stood next to her, keeping out of the surf. He couldn't really remove his shoes easily and he didn't want to reveal to her more then what was needed. Alice didn't move, staring out into space.

After a time, she turned and began to walk back, Albert accompanying her. "Thanks," she offered as she paused on the deck to brush off her feet and slipped her shoes back on.

"For what?" the walking weapon responded.

Alice offered him a smile. "For being there," she explained and walked in.

Albert just shrugged a bit, cleaning off his shoes and went inside. He hoped Alice and Grace didn't get into another argument, though they reminded him of his own with Jet. He gave a thin smile before going off to find Jet. He hadn't annoyed his teammate recently. He was falling behind in his duty.


	18. Chapter 18

**Chapter Eighteen – Found…Again**

The fight between Alice and Grace was one Albert had missed, mostly. He had come back to hear them shouting and wondering if he should intervene when he heard the final sentence.

_Maybe I shouldn't have followed you at all._

Alice had run, silence filling the house before she tore out, probably bruising her arm from where she had partially crashed into him. Albert, in his eternal foolishness, had let her go. He _thought_ she was going to be at the shoreline. Plenty of people to easily watch over her and insure she was safe.

Of course, she wasn't there when he went to go find her. This had lead to Albert walking around with G-Junior, praying she hadn't headed into the hills.

"_004, Alice is about a mile up from you and 005. She let out a psychic backlash, so she might be unconscious."_

"Thanks, 001," Albert answered, before heading off in the direction.

Of course. The one place that was next to impossible to keep safe was where she went. Albert wanted to beat his head against something, but contained himself. Barely. "I think we should somehow place a tracking device on her," Albert muttered.

G-Junior shook his head, and they topped a rise. In the distance, down in the valley, there was a small lake that looked like an upside-down heart. Albert's eyes scanned the ground, trying to find her. He really hoped she wasn't lying in the heather somewhere. That would be a bit more difficult.

"_I am sensing other presences! Hurry!"_

Albert nodded before slipping into his 004 mindset. "005, do you have any idea where she is?" he questioned.

The larger cyborg shook his head and looked around. "By the rocks, up there," he answered, and they took off as quickly as they could.

As they ran, Albert took off his gloves and readied himself for a potential fight. 005 knelt next to her and nodded. "She's fine. No injuries to the head. She seems to have just collapsed here," he answered, and Albert nodded.

"Safe to move then. Let's get out of here," 004 answered, tension running through his body.

He didn't like it. This was too exposed and Alice was completely unguarded. She had no training, no defense, except one very shaky psychic ability. 004 shifted and saw the black diving-suited men, firing without a second thought. 005 was easily able to shield her, but 004 was focused on pinning them down.

"005, run!" 004 snapped as the Black Suits ducked out of sight.

He heard 005 taking off, but he didn't bother looking to see which way. He was going to be leading the Black Suits on a merry chase…he hoped. Firing at them, he noted the direction 005 was going, before heading off in a different direction down the slope.

Now, to avoid cliffs.


	19. Chapter 19

**Chapter 19 – Quickening**

G-Junior was in the shade of two large rocks, hoping he couldn't be seen. Mostly, because these boulders looked like part of the slope and while, yes, he could move them, he knew part of the slope needed those boulders. Moving them, possibly damaging the wildlife in the area, was against everything he believed. Alice was still in one of his arms, asleep, and he tensed when he heard someone coming.

No, two. And that was when two Black Suits appeared in front of the spot. 005 shifted, carefully trying to keep Alice from being seen. He was bullet proof, but they were prepared for cyborgs. Not the best way to go, but he would not let them get Alice. "Damnit! The footprints end here! He must have climbed back up!" one said.

"That steep thing? Are you sure?" the second questioned.

"He has super-strength. Come on!"

They ran off, and then he heard Alice gasp, before thrashing a little. "Easy, Alice. You're safe," G-Junior stated, the need to calm her trumping his wonder over the fact they hadn't seen him.

She looked up, confused. "What happened? What's going on? I thought…I thought we were being hunted, and we needed to hide. Why did we need to hide?" she babbled, before G-Junior carefully pulled her into a hug.

She stopped talking, and he made sure she had calmed down before cautiously looking around, then up. No Black Suits in sight, and he slipped out, holding a hand out to Alice. She took it, and they quickly took off. "We're still being hunted. We need to get back and then we need to move," he explained.

"By the Black Suits. Like the one that followed me around and shot me," she answered.

G-Junior paused and looked at Alice. They weren't like the one that had chased her. That had been a man in a black suit who was in over his head. These, these were worse then that. These had no emotions and no feelings, only intent to kill. She was staring out across the highlands they were in, and she could see the coast below them. "Do you trust me?"

Alice glanced up at him and answered without hesitation. "Yes."

G-Junior suddenly picked her up and shifted to the edge. "You might want to hang on," he stated, and she wrapped her arms around his neck.

As soon as he was sure she wouldn't fall to her death, he began to easily climb down. He mostly had to use his arms and had to drop a few times a good distance, pausing before he continued. Alice clung to him tightly the entire time, though she hadn't cut off his air supply.

/

It was dark when G-Junior finally got near the house, though he could see an odd light that he thought was fire, Alice fast asleep in her arms. A couple of times she had inadvertently hidden them from Black Suits. He wasn't too sure on the last one, but all the efforts had drained her. Luckily, he could hide easily in the dark.

The sound of machine gun fire had him stop, though, and crouch into the darkness. He pulled back and looked out, only to see a partially injured 004 pinning down two Black Suits, and the house they were staying in was burning. Looking beyond the fiery house, 003, 001, Grace, Dr. Gilmore, and 008 headed for the _Dolphin._

There was a blur racing around, occasionally showing itself to be 009, 006 was burrowing around, sending out flame spurts. 007 had disappeared, but he might be on the ship while 002 flew around, helping to take down anyone who tried to follow those running.

He shifted and leaned back, before gently waking Alice up. She stared up at him before covering her head as another round of machine gun fire started up. "Alice, you need to hide. Don't let anyone see you. I'll come back," 005 explained, having shifted into a fighting mentality.

Alice nodded and 005 immediately entered the fray. He took out a Black Suit quickly before he rushed to 004's side. "Are you all right?" he asked.

He had never been extremely close to 004. He was closer to 008 and the pair often shared time together. 005 would never leave anyone behind though. "I can't move," 004 bit out and 005 nodded.

"We need to get out of here now!" 002 shouted from above, sending a shot out from his phaser.

005 nodded and lifted 004 over his shoulder in a fireman's carry before he ran back to Alice. He had her hold on again before he ran for the _Dolphin,_ and he could tell by how close the machine gun was that it was 004 was firing.

There was another sound. A soft, strangled, gasp of shock.

Not the way 005 thought Alice should learn about this, but he had suspected she would learn at a time that was not the best timing. This was bad timing.

Alice's voice confirmed what 005 had thought. "You're not human, are you?"


	20. Chapter 20

**Chapter 20 – Song of Time**

"And you didn't think to tell me this?" Alice shouted, and Albert tried not to smirk, before wincing.

He had been shot by an odd gun, which had made his leg no longer function and feel like a bunch of people with burning toothpicks were pricking it all over. Somehow. He had thought most of his pain registers had been dulled, so he wouldn't feel the fact he had no real legs, but could tell if they were overheating. "We didn't think you would want to deal with the added stress," Dr. Gilmore explained in what Albert suspected was supposed to be a soothing tone.

"That is not an excuse! I would have liked to know I was being hunted by an evil organization and they wanted to use me for something! I also would have enjoyed being told that the people I had to trust were cyborgs created by said evil organization, and they would want to bring it down without any reservation. I might have been more open about things!" she continued, her voice shaking a bit.

Albert sat up at that, ignoring how Francoise was trying to get him to lay back down. Mostly, because Grace had been silent throughout the argument, if one could call it that. He glanced over, noting GB had been released and then looked over to the other side.

Grace was resting after being treated for burns. In her uninjured hand was a slightly charred, though otherwise unharmed, music box. Alice was trembling all over, while G-Junior was standing behind her. At first, this confused Albert until he saw Alice press a hand to her chest, then collapse, her body still shaking.

She probably would have hit the floor if G-Junior hadn't caught her. He lifted her up and lay her to rest in one of the infirmary beds. "I think she overexerted herself today. She managed to have multiple Black Suits believe they were staring at rock formations or something else. You would have to ask her what they saw," the large cyborg explained.

Dr. Gilmore sighed and nodded a bit, looking between the five still in the room. "Professor, do you think we can remain hiding together like this?" Francoise questioned.

The elderly man sighed and shook his head. "I think we're going to need to split up. We'll divide into teams, but we'll keep in sight. And we're going to have to keep Grace from Alice," he stated.

"What?" Grace exclaimed, her hand tightening around the music box.

G-Junior only nodded. Gilmore continued, "I'll gather everyone in here. We'll explain the situation to them and find out where they need to go. G-Junior, you'll be Alice's main bodyguard. You and the other member, or members, of your team will be going to the West Coast of America. It would be best to remain on the coast, however, they would expect that. We'll keep in contact," Dr. Gilmore stated and left.

Albert, however, fell back and rubbed his eyes with his hands. He really didn't like this plan. However, if they balanced it out between people who could fight and good defense, it should be fine. Which lead to the question of who was going to accompany Alice and G-Junior?

He couldn't. He needed too many repairs. Francoise and Ivan were out of the question, but he figured the baby cyborg would be able to help Alice from far away. Hopefully. If not, Alice would probably have to continue doing whatever it was she was doing.

Pyumna was the best fighter, but would probably be left with the group that would have Ivan, Francoise, and the Doctor, by extension himself and Grace. Once he was healed, they would have two fighters.

Which left over Chang, GB, Joe, and Jet. He figured he knew who would be going as the fighter; Jet. G-Junior was patient enough with Jet that there shouldn't be too many problems. Alice, however, was another story.

Albert sighed. He would wait, but he doubted they would put GB anywhere near Grace as she would probably end up killing the only other British person on board, and not near Alice when she was getting disrupted, again, so soon.

/

No one was too happy about splitting up. However, it was mostly removing a key group from where they were expected. Actually, it was just G-Junior, Alice, and Jet that would be leaving. The rest would be traveling, trying to draw Black Ghost away. Albert, however, had finally gained a semi-private moment with Jet, since Grace was asleep. "Look, I know you hate babysitting, but try and be patient with her," Albert started off.

"Why should I?"

"Mostly because I think your patience could do with a bit of exercising. You let your temper go so often it is a wonder you even notice what you're mad at."

Jet's hands became fists, and Albert let out a sigh before resting his machine gun hand on Jet's arm. "Now Jet, would it really be worth it?"

"It doesn't take much to beat up a bed-ridden, old man!"

Albert raised an eyebrow and then shifted his head, an unspoken question to have Jet sit down next to him. "I'm not a dog! I won't sit down whenever you want me to!" Jet snapped as he sat down.

"Then why did you obey?"

Jet let out an enraged, yet strangled, shout. "See, exercising self-restraint already. I'm proud of you, Jet," Albert pushed.

And there it went. Jet reached over and grabbed his shoulders, probably to shake him or something, before suddenly stilling. "You see? Now what if you did that with a girl who's emotionally unbalanced and has the psychic ability to make you see what isn't there, to believe it so fully that you think it is standing right in front of you? She might panic, or worse, trap you within an illusion that neither she, nor you, knows how to break. And I would really hate losing you, Jet," Albert commented.

"When did you get so sappy?"

"I'm a bed-ridden, old man. I'm not allowed to become, as you put it, sappy? Besides, I won't be there to keep you from snapping!"

"I'm not a trained dog! You can't make me do anything!" Jet snarled and Albert smiled thinly, mostly because this was one of the reasons why he loved Jet.

Jet glared. "You two have the same smile."

"What?"

Albert was genuinely confused. It was such an odd thing, like out of the blue. Jet rarely noticed those kind of things. "You and that psychic girl. You have the exact same smile when amused over something. She does it around that one over there a lot," Jet explained, nodding toward the still sleeping Grace.

Albert blinked. "It's not an amused smile."

Jet crossed his arms and scowled at the older cyborg, a glare punctuating his annoyance. "Oh? What is it then?"

"I'll tell you when you get back."

Jet let out a frustrated growl and stormed off, muttering something about how he would have killed a certain silver-haired German cyborg if he wasn't bed-ridden. Albert smiled.

"Love you too, Jet."

Silence filled the room and Albert relaxed. You could never encounter Jet straight on. He may not be a trained dog, but he was quite predictable at times. Hopefully, he would surprise everyone.

"He's right you know."

Albert jumped and looked over at Grace. Apparently, she was better at pretending to be asleep then he thought. "About what?" Albert asked.

"About the same smile. It is exactly the same. It threw me for a loop the very first time I saw that smile being directed at me. What was your eye color before you became a cyborg? I don't think pure silver was your original eye color," Grace responded.

Albert slumped against the pillows, thinking. He couldn't remember, actually. "Why do you want to know?"

Grace groaned, and he heard her mutter, "Oh, dear God. Not two of them. I can barely handle one." She then let out a hefty sigh. "I'm bored, Albert! And don't think I didn't notice that you didn't answer the question!"

Albert smiled a different, thin smile. An amused one. Grace groaned again. "Just answer my question please."

He paused. "Only if you answer one of mine."

Silence filled the room again. "Fine."

"Why aren't you asleep?"

Albert was pretty sure that he wasn't going to like the answer when he heard her mutter out a 'bloody hell,' but he waited. "I am immune to sleep meds, with a couple of exceptions. I used to have a lot of issues falling asleep. Now, what was your original eye color?"

Albert smirked. "I don't remember, but I think they were blue."

Grace 'hmm'ed and the sound of someone moving on the other side made Albert look over at the other bed. Alice shifted and sat up. She was still shuddering and suddenly curled up, pressing her head into her knees. Albert opened up his mouth, only to hear her crying.

He watched, not sure what to say and not knowing why Alice was crying. Albert thought he heard Grace get up, and then he watched her cling to her IV pole to help her move once in his field of vision. "Alice?" Grace stated.

Alice looked up, or started to, when she saw the music box still clutched in Grace's hand. "Oh!" Alice breathed and then fully looked up at Grace.

"You were right, and I'm sorry, I'm so sorry."

Alice reached out and carefully took the music box back before nodding to the bed. Grace collapsed, letting out a sigh of relief. "You know, I'm only sitting because I need to, not because you did your silent command thingy."

"Whatever helps you sleep, dear," Alice answered.

"Oi!" Grace exclaimed and Alice gave a thin smile to Grace, who almost seemed to melt at the expression.

Good. They reconciled.

Now, to hope it all went well. As Albert began to drift off, he overheard them settling down in Alice's infirmary bed. "Hey, Alice, what does that carving in the top of the box mean?"

"I'll tell you when I get back."


	21. Chapter 21

**Chapter 21 – Separate**

Jet glanced over at his two companions. They were going to go on a road trip, the best way to cover up the fact they had no home. Now, how would they explain G-Junior? Alice had agreed she and Jet could pass as siblings, if pressed, but more likely half-siblings.

Ivan had suggested that G-Junior be her boyfriend who she met while abroad, which made Jet want to roll his eyes. Albert cut in saying they would cross that bridge when they got there. If anyone asked. Ah, the beauty of America. People assumed and rarely asked. So, they would let everyone guess about why they were traveling.

"All right, where should we go to first?" Jet asked.

"The Redwood Forest? Maybe even Yosemite Park! I've heard they are beautiful," Alice answered, before she flushed. "Or we could stick to cities," she added softly.

Jet knew G-Junior, nature lover that he was, would want to go to those places. Jet sighed. "Fine!"

"Thank you, Jet!" Alice exclaimed and smiled before she began to head toward the truck.

Jet wasn't even going to ask where they got it from. He was just glad they had transportation. "Junior, is this seat going to go far enough back for you?" Alice questioned and G-Junior walked over, carrying the three duffel bags easily.

Jet rolled his eyes and marched over to the truck, getting into the driver's seat. Ah, yay. Proper side of the road this time.

/

Grace had seen Alice off, and Albert had seen Jet off. There had been a four-way banter, with hidden warnings underneath, before the other two left, heading into America.

"Grace?"

"Yes, Steel-Eyes?"

"Can't you speak German?"

Grace chuckled nervously. "I can't read it very well. I can speak and understand, but I can only read and write a bit. I just know two things about that box."

"What?"

"It is a message and the person who wrote it was named Albert, if what it looks like is correct. I doubt a man would be given a music box anyway," Grace answered.

Albert felt like the air left him. That was impossible! His brother had that music box last and would have never sold it, even if he thought Albert was dead. "How old is it?" Albert questioned.

"From around the World War II era. Can never keep it away from her, loves that thing more then people I think. Well, except me. She once said that it was the most beautiful thing in existence. I asked why once, but she never answered. Huh…I just realized that now," Grace answered.

So, there was two options. One, Thomas had to sell the music box. Or, two…Thomas was dead and his stuff was just auctioned off for some reason because he had no family. There was a third option deep within his mind.

Albert just didn't want to think of that one.


	22. Chapter 22

**Chapter 22 – Black Ghost!**

A man, dressed in pitch black finery, faded into the shadows as he paced. He continued to pace, even when he knew he wasn't sure what he was pacing for. He had a plan. It was a rather strong plan, one he thought would be worth the effort. They were going to destroy the Cyborgs and capture the humans. He would then use one of the prototypes of a Psychic Analyzer, which reads minds, and test it on Dr. Gilmore first. If it didn't work, which meant Dr. Gilmore died, he would have them build another prototype and test it on that other girl.

Grace or something. It didn't matter her name.

And he'd make that Alice girl watch each failure. If they didn't die, which was unlikely, then he'd just reuse them.

All in all, it was a brilliant plan.

Now, if only he could execute it. Maybe...

He paused in his musings. Maybe…he could _capture_ the Cyborgs and brainwash them! Except that psychic one. He could brainwash them into everything and have them bend to his will! Yes! He would do what Skull had failed to do! He would capture the wayward Cyborgs, get back their stolen ship, _and_ have three new humans to experiment with.

Well, two; that girl and Dr. Gilmore. Alice Heinrich had a purpose.

The dark clothed man, the new leader, began to laugh. He had taken over Black Ghost after the fall and was trying to build it back up. And all traitors were removed, while those loyal, he kept. That was where Skull had been stupid. Killing 'loyal' people. He should have kept them and _maybe_ they would have had a chance of capturing the Cyborgs before now!

The man growled, and someone entered his dark domain. "What?" he snarled.

"We've picked up what seem to be communication signals, Sir," the grunt explained.

"Are they the Cyborgs?"

"We aren't sure, Sir."

"Find out and then trace it if it is the Cyborgs, you imbecile! Go!" Sir shouted.

The man took off and left Sir all alone again. Yes, if they had the Cyborgs, it was going to be a good day.

/

"002, can you read me?" Dr. Gilmore called.

"_Loud and clear, Professor,_" came the slightly annoyed drawl of 002.

"How are 005 and the girl?"

"_Meditating._"

Dr. Gilmore heard 004 chuckle from behind him, and he turned to find the walking weapon shaking his head a bit. Dr. Gilmore wasn't sure why, though he suspected it was 002's tone. The elderly doctor had yet to learn what each various, annoyed, tone meant in the hotheaded cyborg. "Yes, well, it is to help her. Look, don't stay too long in one place."

"_I know, Professor. Trust me, I know,_" 002 countered.

"Very well. Over and out," Dr. Gilmore answered and the communications cut.

/

Sir strode out of his domain and grinned. Maybe 'grinned' was too happy of a word, more like smirked in total triumph. He continued walking through and settled in his chair. "Units 3 through 5, capture them alive! Knock them out, but I want both the ship and the subjects in prison cells, unable to escape! Go!" he ordered.

He watched, gleefully, as 30 small ships of both air and sea origin began to take off toward the _Dolphin_'s location. Sir then turned to the head of the Black Suits, who had shown up at his right elbow during his order for the _Dolphin_. "You and an _elite_ team, this time, shall be going to America. Hunt out those missing and bring them back, alive! You may harm them, just don't permanently damage them. I want them whole for the brainwashing! Also, I want to replace outdated parts, so we'll be putting them under the knife again. Go!"

The Black Suit saluted and turned to leave. "Oh, and Number Zero?"

The Head Black Suit stopped and faced Sir again. "Fail again and you'll find that death would be a mercy."

Another salute and the Black Suit left.

Sir smiled. He believed in making examples of people. Killing sometimes just didn't leave the right impression.

/

003 gasped. "There are 30 ships heading our way! 15 in the water, and 15 for the air. It's Black Ghost!" she exclaimed. 008 nodded, quickly rushing to the pilot's seat.

The _Dolphin_ shook under the first few hits, and 008 slowly began to pull her into the air, even as she shook more violently. "They're coming under her!" 003 explained and 008 suddenly pulled straight up, knocking two out with one of the wings.

While the others adjusted to the sudden pressure change, 008 began to open fire on their enemies, analyzing who to hit and where. He just hoped none of them hit the _Dolphin_'s weak spot. A large rocking over took the ship and 008 cursed.

"_00-Cyborgs, this is your only warning. Surrender or we __**will**__ shoot you down._"


	23. Chapter 23

**Chapter 23 – Captured!**

It had been a couple of weeks since Jet had been able to get a hold of the _Dolphin_, so he figured he would let Dr. Gilmore contact him. Right now, they were somewhere in Oregon. Personally, Jet wanted to get to New York, but the two nature lovers were sort-of against the whole city thing. Instead, he leaned back against a nearby tree and watched his teammate, and the one they were both babysitting, meditate. Actually, it seemed more like G-Junior was teaching Alice something.

Jet had watched, and he was more content to watch, he wasn't jealous at all of the fact those two seemed so darn closed while he was just an outsider. He was _not_ upset by this, at all!

He blinked, trying to remember when his hands had become fists and why the two were looking over at him. "Would you like to join us, Jet?" Alice asked, sounding concerned.

"No," he responded.

She sighed. "Just like Grace. Always so touchy. I bet he's feeling left out," she told G-Junior.

"I am not!" Jet shouted.

Alice just smiled and answered, "Whatever helps you sleep at night, Jet."

G-Junior watched the exchange and Jet growled, crossing his arms in annoyance. "Oh, and you would know?" he snapped.

Alice shook her head a bit and looked straight at G-Junior. "He's so transparent."

Jet stormed over and sat down next to them. "What do I have to do?" he muttered.

The redhead could have sworn Alice was grinning in triumph. "Close your eyes and clear your mind," G-Junior stated.

Alice was about to open her mouth, but shut it when Jet leveled a glare in her direction. She rolled her eyes before settling down into a comfortable position against a tree and was off in la-la land.

"Shouldn't be too hard for you, Jet," she muttered.

Or not. Ugh, now there was two of them! Of course! Albert and Alice were going to gang up on him to drive him insane! It all made sense now! He glared violently at the girl before doing just that. "Now, just keep peaceful thoughts. I will be doing watch today," G-Junior explained, and Jet opened his eyes to stare at G-Junior, though the man hadn't moved from his spot.

Jet rolled his eyes at G-Junior's pointed look before he closed them again. "I hate closing my eyes."

"You wouldn't if Albert was around."

Jet's eyes snapped open again to glare at G-Junior. "Beside the point!" Jet snapped irritably, arms crossing over his chest again.

G-Junior shook his head, before glancing at Alice. Jet followed his glance, only to see she seemed to be asleep. "No, it is very much the point, Jet. You don't trust us, meaning you can't relax. You need to take a leap of faith," G-Junior explained.

"I don't trust her!" Jet snapped.

G-Junior, if he were anyone else, Jet was sure would have raised an eyebrow. As he wasn't, he only seemed to settle farther into himself. G-Junior nodded. "Well, you're going to have to learn."

"Why's that?"

"We have intruders."

Jet's eyes widened a bit as G-Junior quickly turned to defend Alice. Jet stood up quickly and Black Suits filled the area. Alice had awoken immediately and cursed, looking around. "There's too many," she muttered and G-Junior glanced around, before staring at Jet.

The redhead really didn't like this. They had two options, and Jet really didn't like either. One was that all three were caught. The other? Only G-Junior was caught.

Jet moved, quickly grabbing Alice before lifting her into his arms, taking to the sky. He may not be able to use his acceleration mode, or go incredibly fast, but he would manage.

/

G-Junior stared them down, already figuring who to hit first, when it felt like his entire body was being electrocuted. He gasped and hit the ground, blacking out.

/

The Black Suit holding an odd gun, nodded and looked around. "Get the truck. The rest of you, find those two. We can't return in full till everyone is brought back," he ordered.

The remaining Black Suits nodded, and while three were left to guard the body, all with the same guns the Boss had. The rest split up. They were in the middle of a forest. Where could they have gone?


	24. Chapter 24

**Chapter 24 – Brahms's Lullaby**

Jet landed at their campsite and set her down. Alice, however, was staring back from where they had come, unmoving. "Why?" she asked.

"I'll answer it while we fly! Just get what you need and let's get out of here!" Jet ordered.

Alice shifted and then moved. She quickly grabbed the smallest bag and put the music box in first, seemingly ignoring Jet's snort over that. She then put in nonperishable food, some water, and a few changes of clothes. "Do you need anything?" she asked.

"I'll be fine! Come on!" Jet growled, tapping his foot in annoyance.

She slipped the bag over her shoulder and went back to Jet. He picked her up, forcing her to wrap her arms around his shoulders, and they took off. He ignored the campsite they were leaving behind to be ransacked. He knew that was what they were going to do to it.

He continued to fly through the air, noting Alice had rested the bag on her stomach. What do you know, she did have intelligence. "Why?" she demanded.

"Why what?"

"Why weren't we all able to get out?"

Jet snorted. "Because that isn't always the case. It was either all three of us or only one of us, and I can't carry G-Junior," he answered.

Alice pulled a little closer and sighed. "So…they found us. How do you think they did that?" she questioned.

Jet shrugged, and she let out a squeak, holding a little tighter. He grinned a bit and continued to fly. He would fly them somewhere the Black Ghost could hopefully not catch them.

/

Night had fallen when they reached a hotel. Jet had landed in an empty place before they had walked there. They paid in cash, and Jet was now trying to find something to watch on the TV. He grumbled as he flicked through the channels, and Alice was turning over her music box. "Survives through the Second World War, the Berlin Wall, being locked in an attic, being _dropped_, and when in my care, decided to face fire! Of course," she muttered.

Jet couldn't be sure if she was muttering in German or not, mostly because his translator unit was preventing him from noticing. Not that it stopped everyone from staring at him like he was a weirdo when he spoke English when no one around him was speaking English. He rolled his eyes at that and continued to flip through channels.

"You know, if there was nothing on the first five times you went through the _entire_ channel list, I doubt anything is going to _miraculously_ show up this time around," Alice commented.

Jet rolled his eyes and turned off the TV with a huff. "Jet?"

"What?"

"Is it all right if I listen to the music box? I checked it out and it was completely fine. Well, the music part. The box is still charred."

He looked over at her and shrugged. "Whatever," he muttered.

"Thank you, Jet."

She carefully opened it up and the soft clinking of being wound up could be heard. Jet began to relax as a familiar tune plunked out. Soon, a soft humming joined and it took him a few moments to realize that it was Alice. He stared up at the ceiling and listened to the plunking of the lullaby fill through the air, Alice's humming accompanying it.

'At least she's on key,' he thought privately and nearly jumped out of his skin when a tired voice sang a verse he knew, but never thought a German native would, considering it was an English verse.

"_Sleepyhead, close your eyes, mother's right here beside you._

_I'll protect you from harm, you will wake in my arms._

_Guardian angels are near, so sleep on, with no fear._

_Guardian angels are near, so sleep on, with no fear…_"

As she trailed off, he sat up to stare at her. Alice had fallen asleep. Sitting up. And the music box plunked away until it slowly wound down, coming to a stop. The girl was still asleep, and Jet let out a sigh before he closed his eyes. He had no idea if he would sleep tonight, but he had to try.

Mostly because now that they were resting and there wasn't any need to be running, the guilt of Junior's sacrifice hit home. He _hated_ just sitting around and waiting, but with Alice, he didn't really have an option. He rubbed his eyes and turned over, away from Alice in hopes that he would get to sleep.

Instead, he found himself focusing on a checklist in his brain. They would get a breakfast, of sorts, at this hotel. That had been the deciding factor behind coming here actually.

Oh, so shallow, but Jet liked the idea of semi-free food. It meant less stops. Oh, they'd have to stop for lunch and things, but all in all, it would be okay. Well, and eventually, they would run out of money.

Oh, that was going to be a problem. He doubted he'd ever get Alice to sell that music box, and he figured the value had dropped anyway. He let out a soft puff of air.

He'd figure out an answer to their money issue later. And the issue of telling Dr. Gilmore about the fact Junior had been captured.

Jet suppressed a groan as he wondered if he would get any sleep tonight.


	25. Chapter 25

**Chapter 25 – First Dream**

G-Junior shifted, painfully. His head felt heavy, and he slowly tried to sit up. He never had a chance as that same pain from before filled him. He fell back, blackness taking him once more.

/

Alice let out a scream as she awoke, gasping. Her breathing was almost rapid, and her knuckles were white from the grip on her music box. She carefully closed it, and she heard Jet let out unsavory curses at being awoken at such an ungodly hour. She doubted God had anything to do with this nightmare, and she shuddered with phantom pain.

"What's wrong?" Jet asked.

Alice let out a shaky breathe and looked around. "I…don't know," she answered.

She carefully set the music box down next to her and looked around. For a moment, she thought she saw concrete, darkness, bars. The bed she was sitting on seemed to feel like a phantom against her back, as if she were still laying down. But…she hadn't lain down to sleep! She groaned and rubbed her face.

"Fine. Look, let's get breakfast and get out of here. Pack up and stuff. Go…clean up or something, and we'll get out of here, okay?" Jet pressed.

Alice nodded numbly and carefully got up. She put the music box away into the bag, pulled out a new shirt, then headed to the bathroom. She'd happily use the hotel's towel and soaps they left. She took the quickest shower of her life, got dressed in mostly day old clothes, though she ignored that. She began to rub her hair dry and walked back out, still rubbing her hair. "I thought all girls took an hour in the shower," Jet commented.

"I'm not 'all girls', Jet. You, on the other hand, _do_ remind me of those girls."

"I'm not a girl!"

"I never said you were, Jet. _You're_ the one who jumped to _that_ conclusion. Are you having masculinity issues, Jet?"

Alice smiled as Jet sputtered out half-vocalized, angry, outbursts, before he stormed into the bathroom.

Point to Alice. She chuckled dryly and quickly brushed out her hair before she pulled it back into a ponytail. She huffed and shook her head, then packed up the bag easily. She pulled it over her shoulder, and then sat down to wait for Jet to get out of the shower and she shook her head.

/

Jet growled a bit as he got dressed again, knowing he'd taken a long time in the shower. He paused when he got to his uniform, which he was used to wearing under everything now, and then hurried up. He pulled on his jacket over it, hiding it from sight, and then black pants. He walked out and held out the shirt to her. She raised an eyebrow before shrugging and shoving it into the bag.

"Ready to go, Jet?" she asked.

"After food."

She rolled her eyes and walked out, the bag in front of her. Jet followed, shutting the door behind them. His mind wandered back to this morning. Why had she screamed so loudly? He had actually been awoken by the scream, and despite years on the streets, he was a pretty heavy sleeper when his instincts weren't waking him up. Like when eight hours were up or someone was trying to knife him.

And yes, okay, he ignored those instincts at times. He wouldn't mention that stupid mistake of trusting Black Ghost's goons.

He sniffed a bit and Alice glanced back at him. "Getting a cold there, Jet?"

"None of your business!"

Alice rolled her eyes and faced forward, the pair walking past a maid. "It is though. What if you keel over dead? What will I do then? Huh? I'd be all alone in the world. Without a friend in the world. Would you truly do that to me?"

"Don't tempt me."

Alice giggled, and Jet rolled his eyes. He barely noticed how he had picked up speed to walk right next to her. The pair walked quietly, before Alice glanced up. "Jet?"

Her smile was way too mischievous, enhanced by that gleam in her eyes that was so reminiscent of Albert's when he was about to tease Jet for something. "What?"

"Are you PMSing?"

She let out a cackle as she took off, being chased after an enraged Jet. "Come back here, brat, and let me kill you!"

"Never!"

The pair raced down the stairs, Alice leading the way. She was _so_ lucky he wasn't allowed to use his accelerator mode on humans or they'd die! So, very, very lucky. She was going to _pay_ for that comment, he knew it!

Jet tried not to question why he was relaxed around her. Maybe taking that leap of faith hadn't been so bad. He would never, ever, tell G-Junior he was listening. Besides, he was just being nice because G-Junior wasn't around anymore to make sure she didn't go wandering off and out of sight.

They really needed to break her of that habit.


	26. Chapter 26

**Chapter 26 – Trapped**

Jet stared down at the communicator. It had been a month, they had gone inland, mostly to the Montana wilderness. Specifically, they were travelling next to a rushing river that was framed by an impressive amount of evergreen trees. The river made Jet nervous because it didn't tell him where they were. This was compounded by the fact Jet had no idea where the others were. He glanced over at a sleeping Alice, who was still. They had listened to the music box every night the entire time and were right now camping. They had lost the truck, so they were travelling as light as they could, though Jet had stopped flying, and they were forced to use some of their money to buy some camping gear.

They were able to get 'out-dated' gear rather easily, and Alice was the one who found them, unoccupied of animals, places to sleep. Jet said he'd find them _real_ shelter soon, but without money, that was becoming a problem. That, and Alice had been having odd, dis-jointed nightmares at odd intervals. The first had come every night for a week, but they had increased since. Sometimes she would have multiple nightmares a night, though only this one night had been nightmare free.

'At least she stopped screaming,' Jet thought.

He started when she sat up suddenly. Her eyes darted around and she stood up, grabbing their things. "What is it?" he hissed.

She just shrugged and continued to pack their things. She shoved a bag towards him and paused to pulled out her music box before somehow managing to hide it on an inside pocket in her hooded sweatshirt. He didn't even want to know why she had an inside pocket.

She then began to walk away from the river slowly, cautiously. Now, his instincts were shifting. Something wasn't right and he shifted. "Which way?" he asked, shouldering his pack.

"Right," she muttered and began to move.

She looked around and then quickly began to pick up into a light jog. Jet easily followed, knowing she had better skills in rural areas. If this was a city, they'd lose them in a heartbeat. Mostly, because Jet would just run into a dead-end, on purpose, fly them to the roof, slip into a hallway, go out the service entrance. Then, head for the busiest place of the city, hide out amongst the crowds, disappear into plain site. Maybe head onto public transportation.

Out here? He really wished they still had G-Junior. And more then just the skill. That old twinge of guilt came back, mercilessly pounding itself into Jet's skull. He knew he couldn't have done anything, but that hadn't mattered!

Junior had still been captured.

Alice stopped again. She looked around, and Jet suddenly felt as if though something had changed. Suddenly, something black dropped down, and Alice was on the ground. Jet immediately rushed into movement, sending the black figure, another one of those freaky, wetsuit wearing cyborg things, flying, before he crouched low.

Pain filled his being and he fell, knowing no more.

/

G-Junior, for the first time, awoke fully. He was in incredible pain, and he slowly sat up, noticing he had a shackle around his wrist. "Before you pull on that, could you please follow the chain. I don't really feel like being shocked…again!" Alice's voice stated, and he looked up to find that he now had two others in his cell block.

Alice was sitting against the wall, looking very bored, with a shackle around her neck that had two chains running from it, interlaced with electric wires. "That was not my fault!" Jet snapped, from her other side, who had a shackle around one of his ankles.

Alice shrugged, before she scowled at the front of her jail cell. "You know, for being idiotic goons, they were pretty intelligent. These bars wouldn't hold up against your strength G-Junior, so they kept putting you back down when you were stirring. Was kind-of here when they were trying to get the shackle around your wrist and they shot you again, so that actually isn't a fact, more like an educated guess. And now they have a total insurance you won't try. Mostly, because if you try to break the chain…well, I'm pretty sure I won't die, but I passed out from the _last_ electroshock Mr. Let-Me-Fire-My-Jets-And-See-What-Happens!" she explained easily, glaring at Jet.

"How was I supposed to know that was going to happen?" Jet argued.

"Using your brain. It's not that hard, so stop acting like it is."

G-Junior watched them argue and wondered how long he had been here before they had been caught. "Did you see the others?" G-Junior cut in.

It was obvious this was not the first time they had this argument, and Alice shook her head. "They had taken Jet out again, but I was pretty much…um, well, I am still not fully in the capacity of fighting back," she explained, looking down.

G-Junior followed her gaze and noticed that her legs were now in a sort-of in a type of cast. Over her pant legs, from mid-thigh to bracing her feet in a flat-footed position, she was really unable to move either leg besides side-to-side or up-and-down. "What happened?" G-Junior asked.

At this, Alice looked rather nervous. "Well…I did try fighting back. Did you know they are quite efficient with these chains? I mean, I get to go out and stuff, because my jail cell is the only one without a restroom, and so I get scheduled time away. It was all so lovingly explained to me, while they broke my legs after I tried to kick out those respirator things on one of their suits. Not my fault that guy was leaning over when I woke up," she explained lightly.

G-Junior settled into himself while Jet raged. Alice hissed in pain as Jet pulled a little too harshly on his chain, and G-Junior shot him a look through the bars. The redhead stopped and then sat down. "Wait, can't we break out when you're taken out?"

G-Junior glanced at Alice, who looked thoughtful. "You might not be conscious when that happens. Whatever they are shooting you guys with, it knocks you out cold," she muttered.

G-Junior glanced around. He wouldn't risk possibly killing Alice. The shackle around her neck, connected to two key parts of them, sent a message loud and clear; you might kill her if you try to break out.

However, they needed Alice. So, she was, mostly, safe. They weren't. G-Junior wondered what was wanted of them. And where were the others?

How long had the group been separated?


	27. Chapter 27

**Chapter 27 – Back at the **_**Dolphin**_

_While the others adjusted to the sudden pressure change, 008 began to open fire on their enemies, analyzing who to hit and where. He just hoped none of them hit the Dolphin's weak spot. A large rocking over took the ship and 008 cursed._

"_00-Cyborgs, this is your only warning. Surrender or we __**will**__ shoot you down."_

008 shook his head. He then nodded to them and everyone scrambled into position. 008 then began to flip various switches and the _Dolphin_ suddenly took off, leading them away and onto a merry chase. She glided through the air as easily as she had through the water, and 008 smiled as he flew the large ship across the sea. "Hold on!" he warned and nosedived straight into the deepest part of the ocean.

He continued moving, trying to insure the pressure was completely stabilized before he hid, the _Dolphin_ running solely on emergency power. Everyone stilled, waiting with baited breathe to be passed over and hours later, 003 nodded in conformation.

The ships had moved on. 008 carefully started the _Dolphin_ back up and they sailed under the waves, cautiously.

They would spend the next two weeks underwater, trying to keep out of sight and mind. Dr. Gilmore hadn't contacted 002 again, and 008 mostly focused on being the one to pilot the _Dolphin_. When the large group finally saw the surface again, they were in the Arctic Circle. To be specific, they were just north of Russia.

Dr. Gilmore, however, could not stop worrying about the three. If people had been sent after them, who was sent after the three? They had separated. Suddenly, the ship rocked once more and everyone took battle stations.

All the air ships that had attacked them from before, and hadn't been downed, were attacking again. 008 cursed and fired back with everything the _Dolphin_ had before diving down again below the waves. This time, they slipped between the ice, trying to hide out. They managed once more, those following them severely depleted.

/

Albert was finally allowed out of the infirmary, and he immediately headed toward the nautical map. Once he was armed with the knowledge they were on the glaciers of Siberia, he rushed for their storage room, of sorts. He began to fiddle with something, and Francoise hovered over his shoulder, holding Ivan. "What are you doing 004?"

"I gave G-Junior a tracking device, just in case. I didn't think Alice would appreciate it too much. Or Jet for that matter. I'm just trying to get a location, but…I can't remember what the tracer's number was," he explained, fiddling.

She hummed and then began to look around. "Try W-34-Y68/02," Francoise suggested.

Albert typed that in and nodded, quickly getting the coordinates before shutting it down. "I think the trio has been captured," he muttered.

"What?"

He showed her the printout. "G-Junior is nowhere _near_ America. He's in the heart of Asia. Which means he, at least, was captured. But, I doubt he's alone," he explained, tapping his machine gun fingers against the flat surface.

"How is Grace?"

Albert smiled. "Unconscious. Now. She really didn't like the ship shaking about like that."

Francoise nodded and continued to hold Ivan. "He asleep?"

She nodded. "He awoke for a brief time during the attacks, both of them, but fell asleep afterwards."

Albert sighed and rubbed his eyes with the more human hand. "Too bad. He could have gotten in contact with Alice, hopefully," he muttered.

Francoise smiled and nodded. "I'm sure he's fine, Albert. He knows how to take care of himself. He made it to his eighteenth birthday, didn't he?"

Albert snorted. "I personally think that was through sheer luck."

Francoise shook her head and laughed softly, before she drifted away. Albert smiled and then left the room. Now, to tell Dr. Gilmore their 'split up' plan hadn't worked. That was not going to be a fun conversation.


	28. Chapter 28

**Chapter 28 – Pain**

Alice let out a shriek that was cut short when 002 kicked out the bar. Cut short because she had passed out, again, from the pain. The redhead winced at that, before trying to find a way to struggle into her cell. The sound of the prison being thrown open resounded through and one of the guards leveled that odd gun at 002's back before pulling the trigger.

The redhead had a slight seizure before falling, one hand in Alice's cell. The guards quickly rushed in and dragged him back, before adding a cuff to his other ankle, shortening his chain by connecting the two shackles together. They probably wanted to bind his hands behind his back as well, but they didn't have enough shackles.

At least, that was what 005 had hoped.

He watched, not really able to do much. Alice was unconscious and another electric shock would not do her any good. He wasn't even sure if the shock was coming from the shackle around her neck. If so, they could possibly give her brain damage, unless there was something else in the shackle.

Such as, there was a minor electroshock, but it also gave her a sedative to make it seem like it was enough to knock her unconscious. That was a possibility, but 005 was not willing to risk Alice's life to escape.

He settled into meditation, hearing them open his cell. He opened his eyes to look at them, before settling more within himself. He had a feeling he was about to be shot with one of those guns from before. That surge of pain and 005 knew he was right.

/

Alice was the first to awaken, and she glared at the unconscious Jet. Of course. She had told him it was a bad idea, but he had insisted. He said that they wouldn't have situated the _inside_ bars to be like that! She rolled her eyes and cautiously looked around. Ah. It seemed they were all on shorter leashes now.

"So not fair I'm the only one electrocuted when they do this," she muttered, before resisting the urge to rub at her neck.

It itched, which meant that she was probably getting her skin rubbed raw. Oh, she was so not going to be happy with this. She rolled her shoulders and shook her head a bit before she carefully pulled out her music box, hunching over as much as she could. Her legs were also hurting, as well as itching, so she supposed that they were healing as well.

'Note to self; never attack those guys again. They'll make _sure_ you can't next time,' she thought grouchily.

"_I could have told you that."_

'Ivan! Oh, yay. So, that split up plan? Wasn't such a good idea. Jet, G-Junior, and I are all imprisoned.'

"_We know. G-Junior has a tracer on him. We were able to pick up the coordinates. Just hold on. Is there anything you can tell us?"_

Alice carefully crafted images of what she remembered from her trip down, which she would admit was not great because she had been in a haze of pain at the time. She hadn't thought twice about doing it, and then showed the cells. _"Well, at least these are smarter then the last ones."_

Alice snorted, hiding her music box again. 'Not entirely, but yes. Jet still tried to break out twice, but G-Junior has never tried it. I think he's also worried he'll break my neck.'

"_I agree. Just hang on! We're coming, I promise, Alice."_

'That actually is comforting.'

There was no answer, so Alice figured they were finished for the moment. She settled for glaring at Jet until he woke up. This was all his fault, and she was going to enjoy saying, 'I told you so.'

Hopefully, she could still _talk_ in which to say it.


	29. Chapter 29

**Chapter 29 – Realizations**

Dr. Gilmore looked thoughtful. He had found the blueprints for the base. 001 had been most helpful in finding out the condition of the prisoners, through Alice, who was able to show them the prison cell set-up. That was what told Dr. Gilmore his blueprints were a bit outdated.

"They're probably being held in this sub-floor below the sub-floor. It was only in partial construction when it was first being expanded, shortly before we escaped. They were planning on moving certain projects there, possibly even holding you there. The only odd thing is that there are only nine cells, that I know of, in the base," Dr. Gilmore explained.

"Maybe they don't plan on keeping us prisoner," 008 stated.

"I'm with 008 on this one. But why do they want us? I thought Black Ghost was all for destroying us once and for all?" 004 interjected.

"That was the old Black Ghost. This one is new."

"_Very. Black Ghost would never have thought of holding them in place by putting Alice in danger, despite the fact they want her, or what's in her mind at least,"_ 001 explained.

004 snorted a bit and nodded. "So, what's the plan?"

"We need two distractions. There are only three entrances; north, east, and west. To get to the prison section, we need to go through the western entrance. 007, you will infiltrate the base and try to get 008 and 003 in without anyone noticing right off. We'll need 003 to get into the computers and find out what those shackles were that Alice told 001 about. 009, you and 004 will be taking the western entrance. Try and get the group out as safely as you can. If all goes well, 003 should be able to tell you how to break them out without harming Alice.

"006, you'll try burrowing into the prison cells. Try to avoid burning anyone.

"Lastly, 001 and I will remain behind. We'll hide out with the _Dolphin_. Be as fast as you can," Dr. Gilmore directed.

The cyborgs nodded and 008 went to the pilot's seat to start heading to the Black Ghost base.

Dr. Gilmore just hoped this worked.


	30. Chapter 30

**Chapter 30 – The First Part of the Break Out**

Outside the base, two figures slipped through the shadows toward the eastern entrance. The pair crouched down, more into the shadows, unmoving, the dulled gray of 004's machine gun hand giving no sign of their location. 004 glanced at 009, and the leader nodded. Immediately, 004 began to fire upon the guards, taking down the humans in a spray of bullets. Both he and 009 rushed forward, heading straight for the western entrance.

Later, 004 found it very ironic he would be running _east_ for freedom. If all went well, that is.

/

002 looked up as the sounds of orders came through to the prison. Alice was smirking now, though her head was bowed out of sight of the cameras. "Prison break?" 002 questioned.

He was really hoping so, otherwise Albert was going to get a piece of his mind. He could almost hear Albert's response of, 'But you have so little of your brain left, Jet.'

Agh! He couldn't believe he was thinking of what that infuriating old man was going to be saying to him if he ever said, 'I'm going to give you a piece of my mind!'

"Quite possibly," Alice answered, sitting up.

005 just gave a minor shrug. Alice had been playing with her music box a lot. Since they got two meals a day, and they had twenty-seven meals since showing up here, 002 and Alice had been there 14 days. 002 had angered the guards and they had skipped a meal.

Not that 005 or 002 were complaining, but Alice seemed to be getting more irritated by the lack of showers everyday. Jet doubted that was really it. However, he was wondering how she kept her music box a secret; eventually he had decided the guards must have not ever considered it a threat. The sound of machine guns filled the air, and Alice ducked, as if that would protect her.

002 rolled his eyes and looked up again. He hoped it was their team and not some other evil organization that wanted to use them. 002 twitched when the prison opened suddenly and their guards rushed in. One typed in a code onto the keypad by the door, the cell bars that made up their walls sank into the ground. "Well, that explains a lot," 002 muttered.

There was another typing of code and the front walls fell into the ground. One of the guards immediately strode forward and grabbed Alice, hauling her up on casted legs. She swayed, and 002 noted she had hidden that music box away again.

She was gripped under her arms and around the hips before being dragged to a spot. 002 was about to protest when he was shot, again, by those stupid guns.

/

Alice watched as they positioned the chains and typed in the commands. Alice's eyes widened as she watched the bars come up between the chain loops, barely, creating a very dangerous web of metal and possible electric currents. She glanced around and was carefully maneuvered into a chair before her arms were bound to the chair arms.

Alice glared violently before they left, and she growled. She was really, really, starting to want to kill them herself.

Or do something worse.

Next time one came near here without that really weird disrupter thing that kept her from creating any proper illusions around them, she was going to trap one of them within their worst nightmare.

Okay, maybe not, but she _would_ trap them in an illusion. And the minute they got out of there, she was going to be studying the human brain so she could find a way for the people she was turning the illusion on to create it themselves. That would make this _so_ much easier.

/

009 hadn't really liked the fact 004 was aiming to kill, but he understood why. If they let these guys get back up, then they might get captured alongside their friends. And then what use would they be?

009 shot again and raced down the corridor. "Here's the door," 004 said, and 009 kicked it open.

Of the two, he was stronger.

They dashed down the steps, and 004 fired again around a corner, taking out a small team of guards before rushing the rest of the way. 009 quickly locked the bottom door behind them before he turned, gapping at what he saw.

Alice was sitting in front of the cells, two black casts on her legs. She was sitting in a chair, shackled to it at her wrists to the arms, while there was another shackle around her neck. There were two long chains connected to it and they were pulled near taunt, the cell bars holding them in place.

002 was snarling at the predicament, both of his ankles trapped, while 005 was meditating, both of his wrists trapped. "How did this happen?" 004 asked.

"Ask Alice," 002 grumped.

"Oh, it turns out that the cell bars come up. They moved me after shooting those two. I've kind-of been waiting for either a rescue or for them to let me go. Please tell me you two have a plan," Alice answered.

"_009, we have the plans for those shackles. You'll need a key. But…the only key that they know of is on Sir, and he's not on base…anymore,_" 003 explained.

009 eyes widened at this, and he relayed it to 004. The walking machine just nodded stiffly and walked over to Alice, ducking under the chain. "Do you trust me?" 004 asked, staring straight up into Alice's eyes.

"Yes," Alice answered without hesitation.

004's knife gleamed in his hand, and he moved toward the shackle around Alice's neck.


	31. Chapter 31

**Chapter 31 – Elsewhere for the Break-Out**

008 crouched down next to 003 as they waited for an opening. 003 was carefully searching and she nodded. The pair immediately slunk toward the building before slipping through the north entrance, unnoticed by the guard. They hurried along after 008 began to systematically take out the cameras. 003, with aid of her cyborg abilities, was able to get them into the needed room, and 008 barricaded the door.

"I'm in," 003 stated as 008 held his gun at the ready, pointed toward the door.

/

He was not going to let _anyone_ get through. 008 glanced back at 003 before he focused on the room and any possible places someone could try to sneak attack. 008 trusted 003 knew what she was doing and mostly tuned her out, listening for key things that would suggest he had missed something. There was no need for him to worry about getting into the computer when 003 knew _exactly_ how to do that.

/

007 had slipped into the base in the shape of one the guards during a changing of the guards with none the wiser. Everyone had split up, and 007 pretended he was patrolling a western corridor. He was more focused on getting a basic layout then anything else.

When he found a place that was out of sight of the cameras and other patrols, he shape shifted into a mouse and continued his investigations, trying to keep out of sight while he worked on getting a better layout of the place.

He scurried along, noting when 003 and 008 got into the right room before continuing on. He wondered where 006 was in the tunneling business. His mouse form grinned. Oh, if they had gotten lost, 007 was going to have _fun_ tormenting 006! He chuckled and continued on his way, picking up speed as he rushed across a beam.

007 paused when he saw some men marching. His head twitched to the side a bit, and he began to follow them. Now, where were those goons heading?

/

007 paused when he got to the open room; he climbed down and rushed through the door before they shut him out. Quick glance around and he was quickly out of sight, hunkering over a bit as he quivered, waiting to see what was so important in this room for the guards.

"Now, remember, Sir wants that girl, Alice Heinrich, in complete control of her mental facilities. Extensive research went into that collar, and I don't want it destroyed. So, we're going to be moving our three prisoners. Get a truck to the underground garage, knock them all out, and began a transfer. Sir wants that girl at the new base tonight," the head guard ordered, and they nodded.

A grunt, probably just a part of the measly security team, rushed in. "Commander, we seem to have a breech in security."

"What?"

"Someone took out some cameras, and it looks like the cyborgs have come to break out their comrades," the guy stated. His voice suggested he was just barely in control of his fear.

007 nodded and waited, ears swiveling. "Get a move on! Remember, we want the cyborgs alive!" the commander ordered, and the higher guards rushed out to do just that. The commander began to pace, and 007 took his leave.

Well, he'd just have to warn his team about that, wouldn't he?

/

Once in a secure spot, 007 transformed into his true form. "008?"

"_What is it, 007?_"

"You're going to be having a squadron of guards heading your way, pass the word on to 009," 007 explained.

"_Will do. Over and out._"

007 nodded and quickly became a mouse again. He scurried off in hopes to get as much information as he could before he rushed back to the _Dolphin_.

/

"009?" 008 called.

"_Yeah?_" 009 responded, sounding a bit shaky.

"You're going to have company. How far along are you in freeing 002 and 005?"

"_Not long. 005 needs to get his bearings, and then we'll be running out of here._"

"Hurry it up. Over and out."

008 focused back on 003, who looked nervous. "003, it's time to go."

"Right!"

003 looked around before she nodded. 008 quickly opened the door and the pair began to rush out. It wasn't long before they ran into trouble, but 008 quickly dispatched them before hurrying out of there. He put swiftness over hiding at the moment.

Pointless, as most of the base seemed to know they were there.


	32. Chapter 32

**Chapter 32 – Success?**

004 sighed as he heard 009 explain about the shackles, and about how some guy named 'Sir' had the only key. Which really left only one option. He ducked down, under the chain and half-crouched in front of Alice, blocking out the world. He would have to cut exactly across the keyhole if there was any chance for this to work and to _not_ fry Alice's brain. "Do you trust me?" 004 asked, staring straight up into Alice's eyes.

"Yes," Alice answered without hesitation.

004's knife gleamed on his hand and he moved toward the shackle around Alice's neck. Without pausing, he sliced straight through, nicking her skin. A slight current went through his arm, but he would be fine. It was obvious that she felt it, probably more than he as she convulsed a little, but she seemed fine. He would find out later.

The shackle, however, fell to the ground, clanking. "Alice, are you okay?" 004 asked, hearing the sounds of chains breaking in the background.

He knew 009 was saying something, but he needed to check up on Alice first. "Yeah. I think so. My heart won't slow down though," she answered, sounding a bit dazed.

004 nodded and quickly dismantled the shackles around her wrists, then inspected her closer.

Her neck was red raw from how long the shackle had been around her neck. There was also some burns, probably friction burns, or possibly electric burns. 004 slowly turned and looked back, seeing G-Junior breaking them out easily. He had just broken the shackles from around his wrists, and 009 had broken 002 out.

G-Junior strode forward and carefully lifted Alice up, somehow balancing her so the braced legs wouldn't get in his way. She was trembling like a leaf and was holding onto G-Junior as if her life depended on it.

Considering the situation, it probably did. "Finally! We're free!" 002 exclaimed.

"Not quite. We're still in the basement of the basement," 004 corrected, when he heard the sound of what could be a garage door opening.

He turned and immediately readied one of his missiles at the back of the room. An armored truck and fifteen guards met them. "See why you should never assume, 002? Besides the fact it makes you look…"

"Don't use an English saying on me, 004! I taught it to you," Jet snapped back.

Alice, however, shifted. For a moment, it looked like there was going to be a fight, and then they stopped. Instead, the guards began to type into consoles, and the bars that still could move, sunk into the ground.

"I'll keep Alice steady in the back. There are too many minds for her to hold for too long," 005 stated, and the German painter gave a strained smile.

004 snapped his leg into place and quickly began to head for the truck. He saw 002 knock the driver out for the keys, and take over the driver's seat. He had _actually_ used his acceleration mode to do it. In a way, 004 was glad. He doubted he would have been able to drive a truck without getting flashbacks. The other half of him, however, couldn't resist muttering, "My driving is not _that_ bad!"

005 carried Alice into the back of the truck, and shortly thereafter, the illusions broke. Before the guards could raise the alarm, 009 blurred out of existence. 004 was prepared for a fight, but 009 was able to knock them all unconscious before any of them could really give out a warning to the base.

"I'll contact 006 before I do a clearance run through here. Get to the _Dolphin_!" 009 ordered, and 004 pulled a face.

He didn't like the idea, but it was unlikely 009 would get caught. "Don't get caught," 004 warned before settling in the passenger seat.

002 peeled out of there, the garage door open. 004 leaned back and readied any weapons they had, besides his own. "Did it seem too easy for you?" 002 muttered.

"Very," 002 grumbled, and continued to drive out.

"Of course, this base wasn't very well guarded. I don't think they meant to hold you here this long," 004 added, his eyes searching.

The redhead snorted and picked up speed as the armored truck climbed. "I think we're going to want to annihilate those casts though, before we get onto the _Dolphin_. Anything they gave you, I don't want to get too close to the ship," 004 added.

004 pointedly ignored 002's muttering about the ship's name, though they were cut short when they were fired upon. "About time!" 002 shouted.

* * *

009 continued to race through the base. He fought when he had to, ran mostly. He had already told 006 about getting the captured ones out and now he was just making sure no one was left. He paused in his run when he heard 007 hiss, "009, over here!"

He turned and zipped over to where a mouse was. "007?"

"Right-o! Now, if you could give me a lift out of here?"

009 nodded and carefully held mouse007 in his hands before he ran off. He tore out of there, hoping there would be enough time to confirm if 008 and 003 got out. Especially 003.


	33. Chapter 33

**Chapter 33 – Safe**

006 had gotten back first, mostly by, burrowing back, and had not really seen any fighting, though would have gone back if need be. 009, with 007, had arrived next, soon followed by 008 and 003.

The last group barely had time to get into the _Dolphin_ before they had been found. 008 had rushed to the helm, while G-Junior, with Dr. Gilmore and 003, had rushed Alice to the infirmary. Her legs had no casts now, as 004 had removed one only to find that they were rigged oddly, along with holding a tracer. 002 and 004 had worked quickly to dismantle it before making splints to prevent further injury to her legs.

Alice had been lucky in the fact the casts had only been going up to mid-thigh to prevent movement, not because any bone had been broken above the knee.

Grace had not seen Alice's condition, or rushed to go help them immediately, due to the fact she had been locked in her room to prevent just that.

* * *

Dr. Gilmore, used to working on cyborgs, found that insuring Alice would one day regain the use of her legs to be very different. He hadn't had to aid a human in a long time, but his limited knowledge of human biology came into use. She had new casts that stopped at mid-thigh, mostly due to fractures that had been caused along both her legs.

They would need to be kept stabilized, though she should recover without too many problems. If all went well, she would be healed in six months time and be able to start light physical therapy. She would have to walk around in soft-casts for awhile after that, though with regular workouts, she would be able to move around as normal by the end of next year. However, spending six months unable to walk was going to take their toll on the muscles.

Dr. Gilmore sighed and looked over at where Grace was being held back by G-Junior. It seemed most of the cyborgs had turned out to learn of Alice's diagnosis. "She should be in walking casts by the end of six months, if all goes well. It's mostly due to placement of the fractures then their severity," he explained.

G-Junior only let Grace go then, and the girl rushed to be at Alice's side. Dr. Gilmore left the pair alone and went to his own rooms. He just had to hope Alice would prove him right.

* * *

Alice was not happy with the fact she was going to be unable to walk for six months. However, the physical pain didn't affect her. It was the pain of the fact she would be unable to walk along the beach. Of being unable to sit in the sand and feel the waves flow over her feet. Grace, however, was bugging her.

They were alone, finally. Grace immediately pulled up next to Alice and kissed her like there was no tomorrow. Alice smiled a little and reached up, gently holding onto the back of Grace's head, running her fingers through the hairs at the base of Grace's skull. Grace eventually pulled out of the kiss and leaned her forehead against Alice's forehead, their noses touching. "I missed you," Grace whispered and Alice gave one of her thin smiles.

"Really? I hadn't noticed," Alice retorted and Grace gave her another breathe-stealing kiss.

Alice was pretty happy with this moment. She could forget about the crappy diagnosis. "I really did. Got really scared when you disappeared like that, luv. I really did. Can't do that to me, disappearing off like that," Grace murmured in her thick Cockney accent.

Alice smiled a bit. "Well, next time I get kidnapped by an evil organization, I'll be sure to give you a call," she retorted and Grace groaned a bit, happily kissing Alice a bit more.

Actually, there was a lot less talk and a lot more kissing and snuggling on the narrow hospital-bed thing. Alice wasn't really sure, but Grace was really leading into the kisses. It was almost like Grace thought they'd never see each other again. Alice had been leaning toward that in the worst part of their imprisonment.

In fact, they probably would have enjoyed their company a bit more, if Grace hadn't suddenly pulled back in surprise and Alice's music box fell out, and open, onto the bed. Grace blinked and, from where she was straddling Alice's hips, or in that area at least, was fully distracted it. "What?" Alice asked, a bit put out by the fact Grace had just stopped.

She had been enjoying too, thank you very much. "You promised, when you came back, that you'd tell me what it said on the top. Well, inside of the top," Grace explained, carefully reaching over to pull up the music box.

Alice whined. "Can't it wait a bit? I _was_ enjoying our make-up session," Alice retorted.

Grace grinned almost evilly and shook her head. Alice whined again and then huffed. "Fine then. Can you get off me first?" she gave in and Grace swung back off to sit next to Alice, holding the music box now.

Alice carefully took it back and smiled. "To start off, my grandfather shouldn't even have had it. He was hiding it for his brother. However, what's written there, translates into, 'To my love, with all my heart, Albert.'"

Alice was about to go into the sentimental value behind it, when a resounding crash came from behind Grace, in the door way.

Both Grace and Alice jumped at the resounding crash that came from behind them. Alice hissed in pain as she moved suddenly, her back muscles protesting, along with her legs, while she flushed a dangerous red. Alice had completely forgotten they were in a rather public room. Grace, however, was not above shouting. "What the blood 'ell! Albert, you gave me a scare!"


	34. Chapter 34

**Chapter 34 – Bloodline**

Alice's words told Albert that, unless someone had the same idea and the same name, it was the one he had been going to give Hilde when the Wall came up. His eyes fell on the music box in Grace's hands, with the edelweiss 'frame' craved into the box with the two swans in flight. The likely hood of Alice being related to him, or having bought it in a pawn shop, had increased significantly mostly because Albert doubted there was _that_ much coincidence in the world. The Wall separated him from his brother, who had the music box.

He stepped over the food, not hearing Grace, and stood next to Alice, gently grabbing her shoulders. "Who gave you that music box?" Albert asked, using all his self-control not to do anything drastic.

Alice looked confused before she answered. "My grandfather. Why?"

Albert shook his head, cutting her off. "Was your grandfather's name Thomas Markus Heinrich?" he asked.

"Yes. Albert, are you all right?"

"Was your great-grandmother's name Lily Alice Heinrich?"

Alice nodded, and Albert resisted the urge to pull Alice close. Alice Heinrich, unless it was through some cosmic sized coincidence, was his great-niece. His brother had married, had children, who had grandchildren. Or one child and grandchild at least.

Albert stared, and Alice pulled back a little. "Albert, you've been staring for the past five minutes. This is starting to get a little freaky," Alice cut in, and he shook his head.

"Sorry. I…have to go apologize to Chang. Something you said startled me," Albert stated as he carefully backed away.

He paused at the doorway and began to clean up the mess from the dropped tray before he went to the kitchen. He shifted and put on a fake smile before he apologized to Chang. Albert was barely forgiven, but his mind was a million miles away.

Alice…Alice was his relation. If he hadn't tried to get over the Wall, he probably would have known her all her life.

Albert wandered down to his room, which he shared with 002 and 007, a pairing that he was sure was going to be changed soon. He sat down on his bed and pondered. He barely heard the door open and slowly shut. He heard it, he was just too involved in his thoughts to really react to it, pushing it to the back of his mind, ignoring it in favor of his musings surrounding Alice.

* * *

Jet knew there was something wrong the minute he walked through the door. He didn't need to hear about Albert not hearing anyone, dropping a tray, or anything like that beforehand. He could think of a few things that could do that, such as walking in on Grace running around the ship squealing.

And the first thing that had tipped Jet off to there being something wrong was the fact that Albert was staring at his hands. Jet knew Albert hated doing that, and only did it when he was either really deep in thought, or was contemplating what it would it be like to have two human hands again.

It didn't matter which one, both were really bad, as they brought out a very depressed Albert. And a very depressed Albert was something Jet didn't like to see, since it meant he usually ended up thinking about Hilde. Usually, that's where those thoughts ended up, and even when Jet was trying to figure which of the two it was, looking for the other minuscule things that would tip him off. However, even when trying to figure out what was wrong with Albert, he couldn't stop the stab of jealousy that went through him about Hilde.

Not that he would ever admit it. Ever.

However, staring and getting into his own thoughts, Jet realized it had to be the deep thought one. Contemplation of human hands would have ended by now.

"Okay, what's getting to you?" Jet asked Albert.

The walking weapon suddenly looked up at Jet, and the redhead leaned against the wall, crossing his arms, along with his legs. He tried to look uncaring, though Albert knew him better.

Damn him.

"Nothing," Albert responded, before he shifted his gaze back to his hands. They then curled into fists, and his head snapped up to stare at the wall.

"It's not nothing. I know you, Albert. No use you getting all depressed, if you just tell me, maybe we can avoid the depression part," Jet retorted.

"It is not any of your business."

"Like hell it isn't! You either tell me or I'll go ask Alice!" Jet threatened.

"Don't you dare."

"Oh, so it is about one of our resident lesbians?"

Albert rolled his eyes. "Stop pretending you don't like her," he stated.

"Who said I like her?"

"Jet, you were worried about her. When we removed the casts," Albert responded.

Jet snorted and decided to turn the conversation back on Albert. "Stop avoiding the question. What about Alice is bugging you? I doubt she said something stupid, but if she did, I can't go defend your honor. She's kind-of bed-bound, has two broken legs, and a chick," he responded, and Albert glared at him.

"That's not helping."

"Well, if you _told_ me what was going on, then _maybe_ I could help. You know, you were the one who beat it into me we needed to be a team, literally. However, I wouldn't mind returning the favor," Jet responded.

Albert chuckled and shook his head a bit. "No, not at all, Jet. And it is just not a problem you can fix," he answered.

Jet rolled his eyes. "Then what's eating you? I walked into the room and stared at you for awhile. I had to _speak_ to get you to notice me. What if I had been Black Ghost?" Jet pushed.

"It's nothing!"

"Bullshit, Albert! It has to be something! You don't get all moody and depressed over 'nothing.' You get moody and depressed over stuff from your past! Now, tell me, or I swear on whatever you believe in, I will go ask Alice, because I know you saw her before you went to explain to 006 why you dropped that tray! Now, talk!" Jet snapped.

Albert glowered at Jet, and Jet glowered right back. Albert relented and leaned back. "Fine. I have reason to believe, that unless there is a huge, giant, cosmic coincidence, that Alice might be my great-niece. Which means, my brother lived. I have a family, Jet. I thought…I thought Thomas had _died_. Instead…he got married and had children. Well, at least one child. Maybe a son, or maybe just an unwed daughter. And then…that lead to Alice. It wouldn't have even matter if she was adopted or something, she would still be my great-niece. And Thomas gave her the music box, the one I made him promise to hide from…well, he was holding it for me. And then the Wall came up before I could go through with my idea. A birthday present."

"And why are you telling me this? Shouldn't you be talking to Alice?" Jet answered, a bit surprised he had gotten his way so easily. Normally, it would be an hour of pushing and threatening before he got anything.

"No! Alice has just come through a horrible experience, and I don't want to be a burden to her. Besides, it would just be selfish of me to try and make a connection right now," Albert argued.

Jet stared. That arrogant, hypocritical _bastard_! "That is bullshit, and you know it, Albert. Alice is a big girl and she can take it. You're just scared of opening up and making connections, of being hurt!" Jet snapped back, and a realization dawned on him.

That was it. Albert was afraid of making connections…to everyone, but especially those that could hurt him. Especially toward people who could become more significant then just friends. Like Alice…or himself. Jet glared and Albert almost seemed to glare in response to Jet's comment. "You're reading too much into it, Jet," Albert warned.

"No, I'm not, am I? If I have to, I _will_ beat it into you."

"Oh, yes, because fighting will solve all your problems, won't it, Jet?"

Jet glared. "Don't you _dare_ turn this back on me! Because, this is not about me, this about _you,_ Albert! And like _hell_ am I going to allow you to lock yourself up behind that little cold, hypocritical, mask thing you have going! Tell her, Albert, because she deserves to know!" Jet snapped, refusing to have this turn into another one of their usual conversations.

Albert fell silent and glowered at Jet, who glowered back. "I am not going to tell her, Jet. And you won't either."

"I wouldn't do that to her. She deserves better then that."


	35. Chapter 35

**Chapter 35 – The Fight of the Century**

It had been a week since Jet and Albert's 'conversation,' and Jet had been in a sour mood the entire time. He was more prone to biting off people's heads and seemed to just lose it whenever Albert entered the room, a reminiscent of earlier days. In fact, the one person Jet didn't seem to instantly lose his temper around was G-Junior, and sometimes Alice. Though, putting him anywhere near Grace was just asking for an explosion of epic proportions, with them nearly coming to blows often enough to warrant them banned from each other's presence.

It all came down to the fact Albert still hadn't told Alice a thing. To Jet, it was an admission that Albert wouldn't be able to connect with him either. And Jet was furious. He refused to tell anyone what was wrong. So, Jet did what he usually did when he was angry this particular week.

He went straight to Alice, even if he did lose his temper around her. Good lord, she inherited so much from her great-uncle.

* * *

Alice was reading some German novel in the hospital section, still, when Jet walked in to sit next to her on the bed. "I am not playing poker with you again, Jet," she stated as she continued to read, not even glancing up.

"How did you know it was me?"

"Everyone but three people knock. G-Junior calls my name, Grace just runs in and pounces, you actually walk in quietly and sit down. Shock of my life the first time you did that," she answered, looking up with a thin smile.

Different face, different eyes, and Jet would be thoroughly enthralled. She suddenly slipped her bookmark in and settled the book next to her on the bed. "You know, Albert hasn't come to visit me this week at all. You know why, Jet?" she asked, looking at the redhead.

"Why the hell would I know?"

"That's not an answer. But, to answer your own question, I was under the impression you two were together in some fashion," she responded with a tiny shrug and shifted to put the book on the bedside table.

Jet snorted and looked away. The door suddenly burst open, and Alice said, "Not now, Grace."

"Fine. Later?"

"Yes. Shoo now."

Grace whined and the door shut easily behind her, while Jet glanced at Alice, who had her eyes locked on Jet. "Now, I don't really care what your little tiff is about. Okay, I do, but that's just my curiosity not my 'need to know.' I am, however, worried about you."

"And why's that?" Jet questioned.

"We traveled together, and bonded, over our time running around. Now, I like to think I am your friend, though that is entirely up to you. Now, will you tell me what's wrong, or am I going to have to have Grace beat it out of you?"

"Can't beat me up yourself?" Jet retorted.

"Of course I can. I just thought you wouldn't want the kind of humiliation of being beaten by a bed-bound girl," she answered dryly.

Jet glowered at her before he gave a half grin. Yeah, he got along with Alice. She was a softer version of Albert, and one he wasn't attracted to. She didn't have that bitter streak a mile wide, or if she did she hid it much better then Albert.

She smiled back, and he answered, "Well, I guess you're going to have to call in Grace."

Alice groaned, throwing head back in annoyance. She sighed and then looked at Jet, who had stopped smiling at her. "Look, Jet, it's not my business…"

"Yes it is," Jet interrupted.

Alice's surprise couldn't be contained and showed easily across her face. Jet looked away. "I won't say it, but it is your business. And none of mine. I'll talk to you later, Alice," Jet explained and stormed out, leaving a very confused Alice behind.

She then sighed and picked up her novel, going back to her place.

* * *

Jet stormed through the ship, since he _refused_ to even think of it by its stupid name, until he came across Albert. He immediately grabbed the walking weapon and threw him against the wall, having him bounce slightly. Jet threw a punch, only to have Albert barely dodge it. "Jet, what is going on?" Albert snapped, focusing more on trying to dodge the punches Jet threw at him.

"You obviously need it beaten into you! I thought you would get it on your own, since you're oh so smarter then me! Obviously, you need a push," Jet answered, going after Albert.

"Jet, what is the meaning of this?" Dr. Gilmore asked, but Jet shook his head, refusing to answer.

Albert didn't move fast enough, and Jet punched him across the jaw. Albert hit the ground and the redhead glared down at the older man. "Now, stop your BS and go visit her, at least," Jet snapped and walked off.


	36. Chapter 36

**Chapter 36 – Albert and Alice**

It was another two days before Albert went to visit Alice. And his reluctance did _not_ come from any imagined fear Jet had plastered on him about getting close to someone again. He just thought Alice could use some rest. And he didn't want to walk in on Grace and Alice doing something.

Ever again.

_Especially_ after his revelation. "Come in," Alice answered, and he entered the room.

"Let me finish this chapter, and I'll be right with you," she added, and he looked at the book.

He was a bit surprised to see it being _Schachnovelle_, or _The Royal Game_; it didn't really seem like her type of book. After a few moments she carefully slipped her bookmark into the page and placed it on her bedside table. She looked up, and it seemed that she wasn't expecting him. "This is a surprise. How have you been, Albert?" she greeted, officially.

"Well. How have you been, besides the being trapped in a small room and unable to walk?" Albert answered.

Alice laughed softly and shrugged. "I've been better. Come, sit. Tell me why you haven't been coming to visit me," she answered with a smart-ass grin.

Albert sighed and sat down in the chair next to her bed. "So, why have you been avoiding me?" she inquired gently, trying not to show her irritation. Albert wouldn't be the first to say that she had failed in that aspect.

The young girl crossed her arms and gave him a look that almost screamed 'I'm waiting.' She sighed and leaned back, her hand going for the book. "I'm getting there," Albert stated.

Alice stopped and looked at him. She was obviously tired of waiting and looked about ready to toss him out. If she could. She might call for Grace, but he wasn't sure. She sighed and shook her head. "Jet said something about it not being his business, if that helps you get started," she said in a monotone voice.

He jumped slightly and stared at her. "What did he tell you?" Albert demanded.

"That's it. Something about it being entirely my business, or something to that effect, and that it was none of his. I figure you're avoiding me about that, whatever it is. He refused to tell me. I believe after that, according to Grace, he punched you out. She seems to be my only connection to the gossip of the _Dolphin_. Though, on that note, am I the only one who enjoys annoying Jet with the name of the ship?" Alice asked in a casual voice, purposely shifting topics.

Albert mostly listened and chuckled, shaking his head. "No. One of my favorite pastimes too," he answered.

"Ah. Well, I don't do it very often. Mostly when he's getting…air-heady," she responded, before she smiled a bit at the last word used to describe Jet.

Albert smiled a bit and sighed softly. He leaned forward and looked at her. "How are you, right now?" he asked.

"Slightly irritated with you avoiding the question, avoiding me, having Jet snap at everyone in a one foot radius, and very happy with Grace at the moment. Oh, and very annoyed with the fact I can't walk for about another year, give or take," she explained.

"Well, good to know that annoyance is the main focus in this scenario."

Alice put her hands on her hips, and it would have probably been more impressive if she were standing. As it was, it only served to be amusing. "Albert whatever your middle name is Heinrich, just spit it out!" she ordered.

He probably would have chuckled at that if he was in a better state of mind. Right now, however, he was steeling himself for telling her what he had realized. Or what he was pretty sure of. "Alice, I…I think we might be related."

"Did you pull that from our last names? Because, as a German, you should know that it is a common last name."

Albert gave her a look, and she sighed, her hands now just lay on the bed. "No, I figured it from the music box," he answered.

Alice immediately stilled, almost as if that had some pull over her. "The music box, with the swans in flight and the edelweiss and rose frame. Plays Brahms's Lullaby in a little plunk, and a message carved in the cover with a cheap knife because that was all I could afford. I was going to give it to Hilde, but not right away, so I had my brother hide it in his home. And then the Wall kept my wife and me from him. And then…well, you probably know the rest. Except for the crucial detail of me not dying, but being taken by Black Ghost," he explained.

Alice was still being very quiet. She wasn't really moving, and Albert wondered if his entire world was going to be turned up-side down all over again. Suddenly, she was moving, dragging the music box over to her and carefully opening up the false bottom. With that, she carefully pulled out an old and worn picture, holding it up. Her eyes were shielded and the picture slipped from her fingers before she attempted to launch herself forward.

Albert kept her from falling out of the bed, and her arms wrapped around him. Her head buried into his neck. He carefully held her, and he wasn't sure, but he could see her shoulders shaking. "Alice, are you…"

"Am not!" she interrupted, though her voice suggested she was, in fact, crying.

Albert just wasn't sure why she was crying.

* * *

**A/N: **So I wouldn't interrupt the flow of the chapter, I put this at the end. Mostly a piece of history. I picked _Schachnovelle_, or _The Royal Game_ due to the fact it was written by an Austrian author Stefan Zweig. The book was published after his suicide.

Anyway, that was why I picked it. It is also a really cool psychological thriller, and on my list of books to read. However, it is after I learn German fluently. I'm working on that.


	37. Chapter 37

**Chapter 37 – Back in the Evil Lair**

Black Ghost had not been happy with Sir's failure. In fact, Sir had a short amount of time to get it all right before Black Ghost turned him into an example. In response to that, Sir had personally insured the execution of the guards who had been fooled by the girl. Sometimes, he wondered what was wrong with them, besides the fact they were idiots.

However, he only had a year in which to at least get a scent of Alice, considering she and her friend had disappeared off the face of the earth. One year. That wasn't very long when it was one year to live. At least he had managed to discover that the girl was the research. Oh, it was difficult, but he had found it out after they had captured her. And the guards had been distracted with illusions.

Sir had then done the _intelligent_ thing and had some of his goons look up what Dr. Kirshner had been trying to ply Black Ghost with. A study to unlock the hidden potential in any human in the world through a series of tests. Tests that were missing and the only way that he could get them was to find that _thrice-damned girl!_

And those cyborgs as well! He knew capturing the cyborgs had been a bad idea. A very bad idea. Now, he would focus on Alice. She couldn't stay with the cyborgs for long, and they'd probably be disappearing away. He paced around his office and then slammed his fists on the table. "Alice Heinrich, I will have you yet!" he vowed, before he stormed away from his desk.

* * *

Black Ghost was shrouded in the darkness, hiding in the shadows. And they were not pleased. Not only had Sir failed to get Alice, he had failed to capture any of the renegade cyborgs. And Black Ghost had just perfected a method to get rid of their free-will. Now, they just had to test it.

And they had the perfect test subjects.


	38. Chapter 38

**Chapter 38 – Oh Canada!**

Alice and Grace had decided to disappear for awhile. While it had not settled well for the rest of the cyborgs, Albert had supported their decision. Eventually, it was decided that they would disappear 'somewhere that uses English, and I don't bloody care what kind.' So, Grace had picked Canada, as she had no ties there, but always wanted to go.

Alice was the first to point out that they would both need green cards…and passports to get those green cards. And some fake IDs to get any of that because the minute they decided to use their names, whoever was after them would crash down on them.

Grace thought their pursuers were nowhere around, but Alice was adamant. Through a lot of work, they managed to get their IDs. Their green cards didn't expire until after Alice was able to walk around, and Alice had been getting back in her art groove. And they had been residing in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada for the past two months. Grace had found a job working in one of the hotels as a maid. Grace got more ideas from the outfit then Alice was willing to go with.

Being confined to a wheelchair had done wonders for her artistic manner. She had just painted and painted. She had painted so much that their little dingy apartment had been filled with paintings. So much so that Alice had been considering looking for buyers, but Grace beat her to the punch by getting a hold of an owner of a local art gallery.

Grace just wanted the paintings out of the apartment so they would have room to move around again.

It was around that time that Albert came to visit.

* * *

Albert knocked on the apartment door. There were a string of curses in German, followed by a shout of, "Coming!"

He wasn't surprised his great-niece was having trouble. She had shown a deep hatred for the wheelchair, and it seemed that hadn't improved in the last two months. There was the sound of the chain being slid back and then the door was open after a bit of jiggling with the lock. "Uncle Albert!" she greeted cheerfully and wheeled out of the way.

Both herself and the wheelchair had some paint on them. "Sorry about the crowding, I've been on an art kick for the last two months," she apologized, wheeling away.

It had taken them a little while to find an apartment that was wheelchair accessible, but the large amount of paintings lying around told Albert they either needed to sell more then half of them, or get a larger apartment. And considering that Grace had a paycheck that paid for it, probably supplemented by the selling of some of the paintings, Albert wondered what they were going to do.

He found a seat on the couch and Alice smiled brightly. "How has life been treating you?" Albert questioned.

"Pretty good. I see you didn't flinch when I called you 'Uncle Albert.' Someone is coming tomorrow to look at my…portfolio. It seems someone, most likely Grace, told her about it. I think she's a tad upset with all the paintings," she answered brightly.

Albert chuckled. "Yeah. I was thinking about Thomas and wondering if he ever got over his camera fetish," he responded.

"Nope."

Albert shook his head. "Well, at least some things never change," he murmured with a tiny laugh.

"Well, it seemed to always be a way to keep memories alive," she responded in that way of hers that made Albert worry about her. Especially, when she got that distant look.

She shook herself and cleared her throat. It was only then that she began to talk about all the calls and letters she had received. It made Albert feel a little better. However, he was always worried about his great-niece. "Naturally, no one comes to visit, other then you. Breaking the rules now, are we?" she said with a smile, drawing Albert back to the present.

"Of course. I had to visit my niece. Phone calls only do so much," Albert answered.

Alice smiled brightly. "Thank you. Well, I can understand Junior not coming to visit. Anyone still after Grace and I would rush right here. He calls the most often though, right after you. Your phone bill must be a scary thing. Jet is a very close third though. However, he's being very secretive about where he is. However, he sounds very...well, he sounds very Jet," she continued to ramble, however Albert doubted it was without a definite purpose.

_Especially_, when she brought up Jet. "Jet calls?" he asked.

Alice looked over. "Oh, yes. He is my friend you know," she answered.

"He's sulking in New York."

Alice blinked a bit and leaned back before letting out a sigh. "Well, I'm cold. Could you hand me that blanket next to you?" she questioned gently.

He carefully handed her the blanket, and she sighed, before she unfolded it over her casts. She tucked it around and then smiled. "Join us for dinner?" she inquired.

"What's for dinner?" he responded.

"Chicken drumstick with lemon."

Albert smiled. "All right," he responded, and Alice seemed much too satisfied with herself over his response then she should.

* * *

"And that's why we need to convince Uncle Albert to go visit Jet," Alice finished explaining to Grace.

She wasn't too surprised when Grace pulled her into a very forceful kiss. "I knew I loved you for more then your dry humor and pretty eyes," the Cockney girl muttered.

"Well, I certainly feel much more secure in myself now," Alice said dryly.

* * *

Dinner that night was pretty uneventful. Until they decided to gang together. Albert should have known. The minute Grace turned on him, he should have run as fast as he could. He was lost the minute Alice moved her wheelchair. "So, Albert, what is this I hear about you not going to go visit Jet, at all, while he's been in New York?" Grace questioned.

"Because if he wants to sulk, he might as well do that alone," Albert answered.

"Junior told me about their argument after we left. Apparently it almost ripped the ship apart. And then Jet stormed out, flying off. He threatened Uncle Albert and, for once, he's taking the threat seriously," Alice supplied.

Albert stared in shock while Grace looked at her. "Like that one time when you got mad at me for no reason before we were dating?" Grace asked Alice.

"It was not for no reason!" Alice snapped.

Grace groaned and flopped onto the table. "Grace, clear up the table please. I am going to talk to my overly-stubborn uncle," Alice requested.

Grace peeked up. "Um…if I do, does that mean that we get to do what I want tonight?" she questioned.

Alice let out a soft sigh. "Within reason," Alice relented.

Grace jumped up and immediately began to clean up the table. Alice situated herself, and Albert gave her a look. "I don't need a talking to," he retorted.

Alice sighed and leaned on the arm of her wheelchair. "Before Grace and I were dating, we worked in the same hotel with restaurant. We got into so many fights, we often had to be separated. People thought we'd tear each other's hair out. One day, she did something that upset me. She moved a tea pot and…I blew up at her. Completely and utterly blew up at her. However, Grace stormed out, and we didn't speak for about three months. And then Grace punched me one day when I took over her table. We started fighting again like old times. I got a black eye," she said before she paused to glanced at Albert.

Albert raised his eyebrow and waited. Alice sighed and continued, "I was so upset during those three months. I was sulky and, because I wasn't hot tempered, I just went around with a sharper tongue and scaring a bunch of people. Grace got into so many fights, I'm surprised that she didn't get dragged in by the police. Then again, she was provoked."

Albert rubbed his eyes as she paused again, as if she was waiting for something. "Alice, stop pausing. You don't tell a story from your past without a reason," he requested.

She gave him an annoyed look. "I was very happy the day she punched me. I had gone out of my way to provoke her, actually. But, when we began fighting again, I felt almost complete. The day I grabbed Grace, pushed her up against a wall and…."

"Don't tell me!" Albert cut off.

Alice smiled. "Well, I was very happy that day. Even though she slapped me and then returned the favor. Besides, all of our fighting was because we were acting like little boys pulling the pigtails. Well, Grace started it, I just responded in kind. So, are you going to go get your man, or are you going to continue to sulk and wonder about the 'what ifs'? Because, let me tell you, wondering the 'what ifs' just makes you very irritable, and the day you pull the pigtails will end with you having a broken nose," she continued, as if she hadn't been interrupted, besides Albert groaning about not wanting to know about anything of her love-life.

Albert leaned back slightly. "Why are you doing this?" he questioned.

Alice looked at him and then carefully leaned forward. She smiled and answered, "Because I would like to see you happy, Uncle Albert."

* * *

Albert had left for the hotel, and Alice was looking over the letters. She smiled a bit at a picture of Jet with Cathy and Jimmy. On the back was a date. It was with a letter about how he was enjoying New York. No mention of Albert, not even in passing. No mention of missing him, or asking if she knew his business.

Alice just hoped that Albert wasn't too late with Jet. When you wander in the what ifs, no one is able to move on.


	39. Chapter 39

**Chapter 39 – Stalkerish**

Albert felt like such a stalker. He had gone down to New York with a story of how Alice was able to turn her life around. However, despite the parallels, he doubted that it would work out that way. For one, he was not a female. Alice was. He was also pretty sure that Alice and Grace were able to make up like that because...oh, if Francoise ever heard his thoughts, he would be in big trouble.

Never mind Francoise, if his _niece_ heard him, he would be in trouble while Grace laughed on the sidelines.

He looked up from his spot, and saw Jet playing with a little boy in the park. He saw Jet turning around; Albert ducked behind a tree in hopes Jet hadn't seen him. Only then did he pull out the new invention of a cell phone and called his niece.

"_Allo!"_ she greeted cheerfully over the phone.

"This was the dumbest idea in the world. How did you convince me to do this?" Albert demanded in German.

"_I did not convince you to do anything. This is all you. Totally and completely all you. I just told you a story, and said I wanted you to be happy,"_ Alice responded, also in German.

"No, you convinced me. I know you did," he argued.

Alice actually had the gall to laugh at him. _"Uncle Albert, just suck it up and talk to him. Look, that person from the art gallery is here, I'm sure. Grace stayed home just to insure it would happen, so I have to go. Get your man!"_ she answered.

"He is not my anything!" Albert snapped.

"_Of course not. I love you, Uncle Albert."_

Albert smiled. "Love you too."

He could practically hear smile as she said good bye, and he hung up. When he looked around the tree, Jet was gone. Not that it mattered. Albert knew how to get back to his apartment. Albert groaned and put his head in his hands. He felt like such a stalker.

* * *

Jet had just gotten out of the shower and partially changed when a knock came from his door. He sighed softly and left his towel over his head as he went to the door. "Whadya wa…" he demanded, or was going to, when he saw it was Albert on his doorstep.

"Oh, its you," Jet muttered.

"May I come in, or is this going to be one of those fights that your neighbors get to see as well as hear?" Albert questioned.

Jet hesitated, before he stepped to the side and let Albert in. The silver haired cyborg paused once he was out of the way of the door. "So, why've you come?" Jet asked as he shut the door.

"I got some advice about coming down here. Not sure if it was good or not right at this moment," Albert responded.

The last argument made the air strained around them, and Albert looked around. There wasn't a lot of stuff, but the most prominent were pictures of his surrogate family. Albert paused when he saw a picture of Jimmy sitting on Jet's shoulders. "Who's the kid?" he questioned, pulling his mostly human, yet still gloved, hand out of the pocket of his trench coat, almost as if he was going to touch it.

"Jimmy. I watch him when his ma is busy," Jet answered.

"Oh, you're a babysitter now? I see Alice _was_ able to give you some useful skills during those months when the two of you were alone," Albert chided.

Jet bristled, and he resisted the urge to punch him. "Actually, I'm a father-figure. Not that you would know anything about that," he snapped.

Okay, Jet would admit that was a low blow…when he calmed down. Albert flinched, his hand pulling back to push into his pocket. He didn't say anything, though Jet was pretty sure that he was going to get punched. "You get along well then?" Albert asked, surprising Jet.

For the first time, Jet was having difficulty reading Albert. That might also be attributed to the fact he wasn't _looking_ at the redhead. "Yeah. We're our own little family here. We're not afraid to _open up_ to each other. We don't _keep secrets_ from each other. We don't hide important facts, or become selfish and refuse to open up at all when someone we care about…" Jet ranted.

He was suddenly cut off by Albert with a simple, "You're right."

Jet fell silent. He was shocked speechless. "I realized that after you punched me. I told Alice after that and then we had another argument. Alice was the one who told me to come visit you. I was up there. Very selfish of me, wanting to see my niece. I used to flinch every time she called me 'Uncle Albert.' Flinched every time she tried to pull me in for hug…well, except for the first time," Albert continued, staring at the picture.

"Hun?" Jet repeated.

Albert seemed to half smile. "Yeah. I've been building back up family ties with Alice. Can't with Thomas, since to see me would most likely give him a heart attack," he explained with a little flinch.

Jet stared, dumbstruck at Albert's little confession. Albert watched him in return.

"You gonna stay there and gaping, or are you going to show me around your handsome New York?" Albert joked. Or, attempted to at least.

It was obviously forced, and Jet smirked. "Finally coming out of your shell, old man?" he questioned.

"I'm not that old," Albert protested.

Jet then walked off and got dressed, before grabbing his keys. He swept past Cathy's apartment and collected Jimmy, Albert in tow. There was always room for one more, in Jet's opinion.

Even a selfish, completely hypocritical, cold, handsome jerk.


	40. Chapter 40

**Chapter 40 – Recovery**

Alice smiled as she somehow supported a ditsy Grace, despite her own precarious balance on newly healed legs, which still had soft casts on. Her wheelchair was being held by her Uncle Albert. It helped, considering that they were there for an art gallery opening of Alice's in New York. She had risen quite quickly in the world since that little opening and had extreme success practically overnight.

However, that was not good in Alice's mind, despite the fact it gave them money to be comfortable. However, that didn't stop her from painting or from accepting gallery openings. Apparently, it was now considered all the rage to own an original Alice Hertz painting.

Oh, did she get a kick out of that name.

"Come on, luv, just one dance!" Grace slurred out, pulling Alice back to the present.

Okay, maybe Grace was more drunk then she realized. Grace was also in a suit, since she despised dresses and insisted Alice 'looked prettier as the girl anyway.' Only in that cuter, sweeter, Cockney accent that still made Alice want to punch her. However, Alice was a lady and didn't punch her girlfriend.

"Having a bit of trouble there, Alice?" Jet commented.

Alice let out a string of German curses that made Albert chuckle. However, a lady _did_ curse out the annoying American boy her uncle had a thing for. "Oh, shut up, Jet," Alice answered, carefully pushing Grace into his arms before she made her way to her wheelchair, exhausted.

"On the bright side, my brilliant niece, you can walk again," Albert stated.

Alice just glowered and then groaned lowly.

* * *

**A/N: This part has ended. Stay tuned for the sequel! Also one-shots (some are already up because I was over-eager in putting them up). Jet's birthday might be one. I know parts of the Valentine's Day one is up. Not all of it though.**

**Just be on the look out and I hoped you enjoyed _Lost Soul_.  
**


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